LOO Yie Bing and Tan Rou Xin are in a race for more gold medals in the Malaysian Games (SUKMA) 2022 at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Sandakan high school girl Yie Bing, 15, of Sabah won three gold medals and so has Rou Xin, a 14-year-old from Johor Bahru after two days of competition in the pool.
And the script and plot are getting interesting.
Yie Bing, who aspires to pursue a career as a veterinarian upon completion of high school, bagged gold medals in the women’s 100m freestyle {57.64s} and 50m butterfly {28.38s} today.
On Monday she claimed the 200m freestyle gold.
Rou Xin ruled the pool in the 100m breaststroke on Monday and triumphed today clutching the 200m backstroke {2:22.14s} and 200m individual medley gold {2:20.55s}.
Another sensational swimmer from Johor – Ong Yong Qi, who won the 400m individual medley gold on Monday, settled for silver in the 200m back stroke.
“I was very nervous today and tried my best. I believe I can do better and need to focus in training. This Games has been a real challenge,” she said.
On her future, she dismissed the idea of joining the National Sports Council training and development programme for now as she wants to focus on her studies and swimming,” she said.
“I am enjoying training and studying in Sandakan. I was offered twice but turned it down as I am not prepared. I want to be a veterinarian one day to heal sick animals,” said the animal lover who is devastated at the loss of her pet dog Chunky last July.
She also hopes to further her studies either in the United States, Australia or England. “Studying and continue competing in swimming events.”
Rou Xin says she is far from finishing in the chase for more gold medals as she has targeted four.
“I want to rest today and think of the competition when I am already in the pool tomorrow,” she smiled.
Selangor’s Terrance Ngt Shin Jian, a final year public relations and events undergraduate at Taylor University, surprised Birmingham Commonwealth Games swimmer Bryan Leong Xin Ren by winning the 100m freestyle gold.
He clocked 51.34s while Bryan did 51.50s to take silver. Penang’s Chris Chew Ve Min bagged bronze in 52.26s.
Bryan, who represents Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur, however, bounced back in his pet event – 50m butterfly for the gold in 24.65s. Ng Tze Xiang of Selangor took silver {24.76s} and Malacca’s Low Zheng Yong clinched bronze {25.06s}.
Two other gold medals were won by Sarawak’s Hii Puong Wei in the men’s 200m backstroke (2:07.71s), taking his personal medal reaps to two in the Games, and national swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean in the 200m individual medley. Khiew clocked 2:04.35s.
In diving, Sabah won gold in the men’s platform synchro through Elvis Priestly and Jared Aiden. Sarawak also had a fair share of gold medals with a superb performance in the men’s 3m springboard synchro.
