Richard good as gold in 50m freestyle<\/p>\n
By Ivy Susanti<\/p>\n
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (JP): Veteran Richard Sam Bera remained
\nIndonesia's hero in the pool on Wednesday by winning the 50
\nmeters freestyle at Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex.<\/p>\n
He contributed the country's lone gold from a haul which also
\nincluded two silvers and three bronzes, the fourth highest number
\nof medals on the day. Thailand was tops with 11 golds, nine
\nsilvers and five bronzes, followed by Malaysia and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Richard, 27, won in 23.49 seconds, edging compatriot Wisnu
\nWardhana (23.71) and Singapore's Leslie Kwok Ying-wah (23.79).<\/p>\n
Richard was disappointed by his failure to break the 10-year-
\nold Games record of 23.27.<\/p>\n
\"I was a little nervous. I was not too fit this morning
\nbecause I only had a few hours of rest.\" He took part in the
\n4x100m freestyle event on Tuesday night and competed in the heats
\nat 8 a.m. local time.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's M. Akbar Nasution earned the bronze in the men's
\n200m breaststroke, behind gold medalist Elvin Chia and Thai
\nRatapong Sirisanont.<\/p>\n
\"Rattapong has beaten me many times. I didn't expect to beat
\nhim. I just wanted to break my personal best. But Rattapong told
\nme 'good job' after the race,\" Chia said.<\/p>\n
Games first-timer Akbar, 16, said he was pleased with his
\nbronze and hoped to compete in the Olympics.<\/p>\n
Another Malaysian Dieung AK Manggang claimed the gold in the
\n1,500m freestyle in 15:57.47. Filipino Juan Carlo Piccio was
\nsecond (15:57.85), followed by Indonesian Steven Chandra
\n(16:02.63).<\/p>\n
Trailing at the final turn, Manggang edged Piccio in the
\nstretch.<\/p>\n
\"I didn't expect to win. The other swimmers tried to beat me
\nby coming from behind. I kept telling myself that my legs were
\nstronger and I could kick faster than them.\"<\/p>\n
Thailand's Pilin Tachakittiranan seems destined to take over
\nthe title of swimming queen from Singapore's Joscelin Yeo.<\/p>\n
In a remarkable debut, Tachakittiranan collected six golds in
\nthe 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 4x100m relay freestyle,
\n4x200m relay freestyle, 200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay.
\nShe also won a silver in the 100m freestyle.<\/p>\n
Yeo earned four golds in the 100m freestyle, 100m
\nbreaststroke, 100m butterfly stroke, 200m individual medley and a
\nbronze in the 400m freestyle.<\/p>\n
Yeo cited a nagging elbow injury in her decision to scratch
\nfrom three events on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"She injured her right elbow after competing in the 100m
\nbutterfly on Tuesday,\" said coach David Lim. \"We decided to give
\nher a two-day rest. We'll wait and see about her condition in the
\nnext 24 hours, and hopefully she'll be all right and can compete
\non Friday.\"<\/p>\n
Tachakittiranan, 16, will compete in the 50m freestyle and
\n200m butterfly on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"I have not set any medal target for the year's event. I'll
\ntry my best. I'm not so sure about my chances in the butterfly
\nevent because I think my compatriot Praphalsai Minpraphal could
\nbe a tough rival.\"<\/p>\n
Indonesia's divers Husaini Noor and Muhammad Nasrullah won
\nsilver and bronze respectively in the men's 10m platform diving
\nevent. Malaysian Yeoh Ken Nee took the gold.<\/p>",
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