The Star : Ching Hwang grabs four medals in Nanjing

PETALING JAYA: Swimmer Lim Ching Hwang brought his Asian Youth Games (AYG) campaign to a memorable end by winning four medals from all his four events in Nanjing, China.

Lim Ching Hwang raked in another silver in the boys’ 100m freestyle final on Friday when he clocked 51.14 to finish behind South Korea’s Kim Dasan (51.07).

Ching Hwang raked in another silver in the boys’ 100m freestyle final on Friday when he clocked 51.14 to finish behind South Korea’s Kim Dasan (51.07).

Ching Hwang was on the same pace as the Korean at the turn but was beaten towards the finishing line.

The bronze went to Singapore’s Matthew Duncan (51.52).

Although Ching Hwang’s time was outside his personal best of 50.86, which he clocked at the Singapore national age-group meet in March, the 17-year-old is still happy to have capped off his AYG appearance with four medals in four events.

He had stood at the top of the podium in the 200m freestyle and picked up a bronze medal as part of the 4x100m medley quartet on Tuesday.

Then, on Thursday, he won his first silver medal in the 50m freestyle.

“When the other swimmers were ahead, I told myself to calm down and just do my best. I’m satisfied with the result.

“My rival was stronger and had better reach. I’m satisfied as this was my only chance to compete in the AYG, which is held every four years,” said Ching Hwang, who will now set his sights on another memorable debut at the World Youth Championships in Dubai next week.

Meanwhile, Wong Fu Kang can finally return home with a medal after claiming a bronze in the boys’ 200m breaststroke final in 2:21.16.

The gold medal went to Taiwan’s Cai Bin-rong (2:14.68) and the silver to South Korea’s Kim Jae-youn (2:18.33).

Malaysia ended the swimming competition with a total haul of one gold, three silvers and three bronzes.

Yap Siew Hui took a silver and a bronze in the girls’ 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly respectively.

Star Online : Ching Hwang bags third medal at AYG

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Young swimmer Lim Ching Hwang continued to make a splash by bagging his third medal while butterfly girl Yap Siew Hui claimed her second in as many days at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, China.

Lim Ching Hwang celebrates after winning a silver medal in the boys' 50m freestyle at the Asian Youth Games at Nanjing, China.

The 17-year-old Ching Hwang powered his way to a silver in the boys’ 50m freestyle final by clocking 23.46 yesterday. He finished behind Singapore’s Darren Lim, who romped to the gold in 23.09.

Ching Hwang touched the pad just ahead of South Korea’s Kim Dasan (23.47) and came out of the pool feeling that he could have improved on the national mark of 23.42, held by national swimmer Foo Jian Beng since 2008.

It was Ching Hwang’s third medal of the Games, having taken gold in the 200m freestyle and was part of the 4x100m freestyle quartet who won a bronze on the opening day on Tuesday.

Still, Ching Hwang had the satisfaction of doing better than the 23.62 he set in his semi-final heat on Wednesday.

“This is a new personal best for me but I regret not doing better in the last 25m to get a better time. I’m happy with this medal as I’m better in the 100m and 200m freestyle races,” said Ching Hwang.

Siew Hui also left the pool contented after picking up her second medal of the Games in the girls’ 100m butterfly.

The 15-year-old posted 1:02.15 for the bronze behind Singapore’s Meagan Lim (1:01.58) and South Korea’s Park Jin-young (1:00.41).

Siew Hui had taken the silver medal in the 50m butterfly on Wednesday.

Malaysia have one gold, two silvers and two bronzes to show for from the swimming pool thus far, and Ching Hwang could deliver another medal on the final night of competition in the 100m freestyle.

The Singapore Sports School student eased into the final after winning his semi-final heat in 52.24.

It was the second fastest time among the eight finalists, with Stanislav Karnaukhov of Kyrgyzstan setting the benchmark at 52.14.

The Star : Siew Hui splashes to a silver in Nanjing

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Hail the new butterfly princess.

Yap Siew Hui powered to a silver in the girls' 50m butterfly at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, China.

Youngster Yap Siew Hui has shown that she’s ready to take on the challenge of swimming the butterfly event, after the retirement of Marellyn Liew, with a silver medal effort in the Asian Youth Games (AYG) in Nanjing, China, on Wednesday.

The 15-year-old was actually just a finger-tip short of nicking the gold medal for Malaysia in the girls’ 50m butterfly final.

Siew Hui, who only qualified for the final as the fourth fastest qualifier, clocked 27.96 to finish agonisingly close – 0.07sec – behind Ko Miso of South Korea (27.89).
The bronze went to another South Korean, Park Jin-young (28.04).

Bagging a sparkling silver is still an impressive achievement for Siew Hui.

 She had to forgo the chance of making a World Championships debut in Barcelona last month and considering the time she posted was not far behind from her personal best of 27.60.

Marellyn last swam for the country in the Indonesia SEA Games in 2011, taking silver in the 100m butterfly – and there’s been no one of her calibre in the national squad – until now.

Siew Hui was roped into the national squad under coach Paul Birmingham early this year.

 She was also the best overall female swimmer in the MSSM (national schools) meet in March.

Lim Ching Hwang, meanwhile, is on course for a treble at the Asian Youth Games.

 He made it to the final of boys’ 50m freestyle as the second fastest qualifier.

Fresh from winning the 200m freestyle race on Monday, the Singapore Sports School student continued his fine form in the semi-final by posting 23.62 to finish behind Singapore’s Darren Lim (23.42).

“The 50m discipline is not my strongest event.

 “I’ll try for a medal. It’s an open affair in the final,” said the 17-year-old.

Besides competing in 50m freestyle final today, Ching Hwang is also fighting for a place in the 100m freestyle final.

He has been seeded first for the event based on his personal best of 50.87.

The Star : Ching Hwang bags first-ever gold in swimming at Youth Games

Lim Ching Hwang on Tuesday won the boys' 200m freestyle gold medal at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, China, clocking in at 1:50.81.

PETALING JAYA: Youngster Lim Ching Hwang made a big splash for Malaysian swimming after winning the boys’ 200m freestyle gold medal in stunning fashion at the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, China.

It was Malaysia’s first-ever gold medal from swimming at the Games, which are held every four years, and Ching Hwang splashed to victory in 1:50.81 Tuesday.

It was just outside his personal best of 1:50.42, which he clocked at the Singapore national age-group meet in March, but it was still enough to take the gold ahead of Singapore’s Quah Zheng Wen (1:52.19) and Thailand’s Kittiya Tanakrit (1:52.94).

Ching Hwang was delighted to have lived up to his billing after qualifying the fastest in the heats in the morning.

He surged to the front right from the start and never allowed his rivals to make up ground in the four-lap race.

Ching Hwang said it was a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for him to impress at the Games.

“You only get to compete in one Asian Youth Games as you’ll be past the eligibility bracket (14-17) the next time around,” said the 17-year-old.

“I was feeling very down after failing to impress at the recent World Championships in Barcelona.

“I was determined to go under 1:50 here and see where it takes me. My thoughts were on getting a medal, whatever the colour.

“I really could not be happier that it’s a gold. I’ll try to make it a double delight by capturing the 100m freestyle next (Wednesday).”

The Singapore-based swimmer returned to the pool for a second medal – getting a bronze as part of the 4x100m freestyle relay quartet, which also comprised Alwyn Tan, Welson Sim and Wong Fu Kang.

They posted 3:29.81 to finish behind South Korea (3:28.66) and Singapore (3:29.63).

Malaysians also made two other finals – with Fu Kang narrowly missing out on third in the boys’ 50m breaststroke and Phee Jing En finishing sixth in the girls’ 50m breaststroke after clocking 33.49.

Fu Kang reached the finish line in 29.78 behind South Korea’s Kim Jae-youn (28.97), Cai Bing Rong of China (29.24) and Chao Man Hou of Hong Kong (29.52).

Nanjing 2013 Asian Youth Games

The 2nd Asian Youth Games are being held in Nanjing, People's Republic of China from August 16–24, 2013. Just like the inaugural edition, the games will serve as a dress-rehearsal for the upcoming 2014 Summer Youth Olympics, which will also be held in the same city.

The mascot, called Yuan Yuan, is based on the image of Eosimias sinensis, the earliest higher primate to date found in Jiangsu.

source : wikipedia


Reports and updates on Nanjing 2013 Asian Youth Games can be found at the following Facebook link.

Nanjing 2013 Asian Youth Games @ FB

This is how the Nanjing 2013 AYG medals look like.