Records fall as pool events wrap

Records fall as pool events wrap

By Sylvia Gratia Miranda

JAKARTA (JP): Outstanding performances lowered the curtain on
the swimming competition yesterday, as all but one of the six
winners entered the SEA Games record book.

Thailand's Ravee Intporn-Udom capped her outstanding Games by
winning a fifth gold medal in the 400 meters individual medley.

Her 4:53.30 shaved 0.94 of a second off compatriot Minphrapal
Praphansai's mark set in 1995.

Singapore's Sia Wai Yen (5:02.66) and Indonesia's Rita Mariani
(5:05.97) finished lengths behind her.

Ravee,17, said she had not unexpected to do so well. "My aim
was just to set personal bests."

Eight swimmers surpassed Games records yesterday.

Torlarp Sethsothorn gave Thailand its second gold of the day
by winning the men's 200 meters freestyle in 1:52.97. He beat his
own mark of 1:53.92 from 1995.

He was followed by Raymond Papa of the Philippines (1:53.19)
and Singaporean Ju Wei Sng (1:53.46).

Malaysian men did surprisingly well by grabbing two golds. In
the 200 meters butterfly, Lim Keng Liat set a new record of
2:02.90, beating 2:04.02 by Filipino Eric Buhain in 1989.

Indonesia's hope Albert C.Sutanto got the silver (2:03.67),
followed by Lim's compatriot Ang Anthony (2:03.92).

Malaysia also won the men's 4x100 individual medley in
3:48.33, breaking Thailand's record (3:51.60) set in 1995.

The silver went to Thailand (3:51.48).

Understrength Indonesia had to be content with the bronze in
3:51.89. The host quartet trailed in most of the race before
anchor Richard Sam Bera narrowed the gap.

Indonesia's coach Lukman Niode said the team had not expected
gold because Richard was suffering from a cold. "This event
traditionally Malaysia's," he said.

Singapore's Joscelin Yeo earned the honor of fastest women in
the pool by sprinting to gold in the women's 50 meters freestyle.
Her 27.27 held off a surprising challenge by Aung Moe Thu of
Myanmar (27.46) and Kathy Echiverri of the Philippines (27.73).
But she was the exception among the gold winners in being unable
to break her own Games mark of 26.66 from 1995.

Catherine Surya won the lone gold for Indonesia after she
finished first in 2:15.17, surpassing Praphansai's two-year-old
mark of 2:15.60.

In the synchronized swimming event earlier yesterday,
Malaysia's Jacquelyn Chan grabbed the gold in the solo
competition with 81.800. Indonesia's Tyas Titisari took the
silver with 79.000 and compatriot Lenny Puspita took bronze
(76.467).

Indonesia won gold in the duet event by scoring 83.267, while
Malaysia got the silver (79.333) and Thailand the bronze
(64.400). Indonesia's Tyas Titisari and Lenny Puspita performed a
delightful routine to traditional music.