Favorites Yeo and Lim win first swimming medals of SEA Games
Favorites Yeo and Lim win first swimming medals of SEA Games
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Defending champion Joscelin Yeo of Singapore won the first swimming race of the Southeast Asian Games Sunday, taking gold in the women's 100-meter freestyle in 57.13 seconds.
But there was only one meet record broken, when Singaporean quartet won the 4X200m freestyle relay in a time of 7:38.82.
Yeo, the SEA Games record holder and Southeast Asia's outstanding swimmer, led from the start and defeated Myanmar's Moe Thu Aung, who finished in 57.75, and Thai archrival Pilin Tachakittiranan, 58.80.
Yeo, who is also U.S.-based, was 1.07 seconds slower Sunday than her SEA Games record set in 1999.
Another favorite, Malaysia's Alex Lim, won the men's 200m backstroke in 2:02.91. Singapore took the silver and bronze. Gary Tan finished in 2:06.10 and Gerald Koh Mun in 2:07.01.
The U.S.-based Lim, the defending champion and 1998 Asian Games gold medalist in the 100m backstroke, was never challenged, extending his lead at each split to finish two body lengths ahead of Tan.
Yeo, who was Southeast Asia's best swimmer at the Sydney Olympics last year, finishing 22nd in the 100m freestyle, is seeking to better her medal haul at the last SEA Games in Brunei of six gold, one silver and one bronze. She is listed to compete in four individual and three relay events in Kuala Lumpur.
The first day of swimming competition left Indonesia empty handed on Sunday.
Once the region's swimming powerhouse, Indonesia is pinning its hopes of winning gold medals in the pool on veteran competitor Richard Sam Bera.
National swimming team manager Dadeng Kurnia said U.S.-based Richard is expected to romp home with two golds in his favorite freestyle sprint events over 50 and 100 meters.
"These are our realistic chances this time around," Dadeng said as quoted by Antara.
Richard will have the chance to prove his billing as the region's fastest swimmer on Monday.
He swam his best 100m freestyle of the year at 51.05 seconds, the fastest among Southeast Asian contenders. Richard set the SEA Games record of 50.03sec in Brunei Darussalam two years ago.
"Based on his best mark, and not to mention his current shape, we believe he has what it takes to win the coveted gold medals. We fully rely on him," said Dadeng, who is deputy secretary of the Indonesian Swimming Federation (PRSI).
Richard has been unbeaten in the 50m sprint since the 1995 Games.
Dadeng said there will be stiff challenges from Malaysia's Allen Ong and Singapore's pair of Ernest Teo Quee Lim and Mark Chay Jing Jun.
"But considering his experience, we are optimistic Richard will overcome his contenders for the golds," Dadeng said.
Indonesia has picked second-stringer Hendik Eko AP to flank Richard in the sprint events.