By Ng Wei LoonDESPITE facing initial difficulties in mastering the butterfly stroke, it did not dampen the Kuala Lumpur Amateur Swimming Association (PRAKL) trainee Tan Gin Yu’s desire to cope and strive for steady progress in the discipline.
The 12-year-old said he enjoyed competing in the butterfly events now because it offered him the opportunity to win more medals at age-group competitions.
Splashing form: Tan emerged as the top Under-12 swimmer at the MSSKL meet this year.
This year, the SRJK Mun Yee Year Six pupil in Setapak dominated the boys’ Under-12 category at the Kuala Lumpur Schools Sports Council (MSSKL) meet.
En route to emerging as the best swimmer in the section, he bagged a total of 11 gold medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke; 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly; 50m and 100m freestyle; 50m and 100m breaststroke; and 200m individual medley.
“The breaststroke was the toughest because I do not spend as much time on the stroke in the pool,” said Tan, who is youngest of three siblings.
Tan’s former coach Sia Wai Loon from the Ikan Bilis Swimming Club (IBSC) said Tan showed his natural ability in the backstroke.
“When he joined the club’s training programme four years ago, he found it tough to perform the butterfly stroke. But, he improved on his weakness as he had the chance to train with the seniors who were three years older than him.
“Although he was not as strong physically compared with the others in the group then, he tried to push hard to keep up with the pace. He should be doing well at the national age-group level with proper training over the next couple of years,” added Sia.
Since 2005, Tan has been earning his berth to feature at the National Age-Groups meet.
He is the meet record holder in the 50m backstroke event for the boys’ Under-Nine (40.98s) and boys’ Under-10 (39.98s) sections recorded at the PRAKL and the MSSKL meets respectively in the same year.
“We encourage him to pursue swimming because he always likes to be in the water. It is not about the achievements because we do not rate his accomplishments thus far as outstanding. But, we are proud of him because he is showing good work rate and the commitment to do well. He does not have the time to indulge in other activities because of his tight schedule. We are satisfied as long as he tries hard to improve. His school has also encouraged him to scale greater heights,” said his mother, Pang Pay Fen.
Tan is the youngest trainee in the PRAKL training programme and is undergoing training six times a week under Chinese coach He Ting Lan at the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) swimming pool at Bandar Tun Razak in Cheras.
“He has improved gradually in all four strokes because the coach is grooming him to become a competent swimmer for the individual medley,” Pang added.
For the National Inter-Club Championships at the end of the year, Tan is aiming to do well in the boys’ Group Three (11-12 years) 100m backstroke and butterfly events.
RISING STAR
TAN GIN YU
Age: 12 years
Height: 1.50m
Weight: 50kg
School: SRJK Mun Yee, Setapak (Year Six)
Club: Ikan Bilis Swimming Club
Coach: He Ting Lan (PRAKL programme)
Favourite Events: 100m butterfly, 200m backstroke
Personal Bests: 100m butterfly (1:09), 200m backstroke (2:38)
Favourite Pastime: Swimming
Favourite Hangout: Home
Ambition: Swimming coach
ACHIEVEMENTS
2004
- PRAKL boys’ Group Five (Under-Nine) one gold (50m backstroke) and one silver (100m freestyle) medals
2005
- PRAKL boys’ Group Five (Under-Nine) one gold (50m backstroke), one silver (100m freestyle), one bronze (50m freestyle) medals
- MSSKL boys’ Under-10 two gold (50m and 100m freestyle) , one silver (50m backstroke)and one bronze (50m butterfly) medals
2006
- PRAKL boys’ Group Four (Under-11) one silver (100m backstroke) and one bronze (200m freestyle) medals
- National Age-Groups boys’ Group Four (Under-11) one silver medal (4x100m freestyle)
- MSSKL boys’ Under-10 three gold (50m backstroke, 50 freestyle, 50m breaststroke) and two silver (100m freestyle and 50m butterfly) medals
- MSSKL boys’ Under-10 Best Swimmer recipient
- Sukan Teras Aquatics Championships boys’ Under-12 one gold (100m butterfly), one silver (50m butterfly) and two bronze (50m and 100m backstroke) medals
2007
- PRAKL boys’ Group Four (Under-11) one gold (100m backstroke), two silver (50m backstroke, 100m butterfly) and three bronze (50m butterfly, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle)medals
- National Age-Groups boys’ Group Four (Under-11) three silver (50m backstroke, 4x100 freestyle, 4x50m medley) medals
- MSSKL Development Circuit boys’ Under-12 11 gold medals (50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly, 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m and 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley)
2008
- PRAKL boys’ Group Three (12 to 13 years) one gold (100m freestyle), four silver (200m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley) and one bronze (200m breaststroke) medals
- National Age-Groups boys’ Group Three (12 to 13 years) one silver medal (200m backstroke)
- MSSKL boys’ Under-12 11 gold medals (50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly, 50m and 100m freestyle, 50m and 100m breaststroke, 200m individual medley)
- MSSKL boys’ Under-12 Best Swimmer recipient
- MSSM boys’ Under-12 two silver (200m freestyle, 100m butterfly) and one bronze medal (200m individual medley)
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