The Star : Sarawakian Daniel makes a winning return from injury

By ASHREENA PILLAI

KUALA LUMPUR: Coming back from injury is never easy.

Beaming winner : Daniel Bego returned from injury in fine style by winning the 100m butterfly gold and 50m freestyle silver in the Malaysia Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday. - Bernamapic

So it’s great to see Daniel Bego triumph in the 100m butterfly on the final day of the Malaysian Open Swimming Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Sarawakian clocked in at 54.84 ahead of Selangor’s Chan Jie (56.02) and Kuala Lumpur’s Keith Lim (56.73) for his first gold of the championships.

Daniel narrowly missed out on adding a second gold as he finished a mere .06 seconds behind Selangor’s Lim Ching Hwang (23.62) in the 50m freestyle. India’s Anshul Kothari was third on 24.01. This brings Daniel’s championships total to one gold and four silvers, which came from the 100m freestyle (Thursday), 200m freestyle (Friday) and 400m freestyle (Saturday).

“I’d hoped to win more, but it’s not too bad. One gold and four silvers... I’ll take it,” said a smiling Daniel after his race.

“I have nothing but respect for the kid (Ching Hwang). He’s only 16 and he’s swimming that fast. So I’m definitely looking forward to our duels and giving him a strong challenge.”

The 24-year-old, a five-time gold medallist at the Laos SEA Games in 2009, was out of action after undergoing two shoulder surgeries to correct a long-standing bone spur problem in April and June in 2011. Having only returned to the pool in December last year, Daniel is still undergoing rehabilitation for his injury and admits he has some work to do ahead of the SEA Games in Myanmar in December.

“I’m happy with my performances here. All my times were the fastest since I came back from my injury, so it’s definitely moving in a positive direction,” said Daniel, who has already qualified for the 200m and 400m freestyle events at the Games in Myanmar.

“I’m still undergoing rehab for my shoulder. And I still have more work to do in the pool. But it’s a great move forward.”

Meanwhile, Selangor’s Khoo Cai Lin added one gold and one bronze in the 800m and 50m freestyle events respectively to her medal tally. Earlier, she won the 400m freestyle and the 200m butterfly and a silver from the 200m freestyle.

Perak’s Kevin Yap won the 1,500m freestyle in 15:45.87, ahead of Sarawak duo Welson Sim (15:47.69) and Vernon Lee who finished in 16:10.34.

However, the mark was off his personal best of 15:32.51 (also the meet record) which was achieved at last year’s Malaysian Open.

Swimming powerhouse Selangor top the championships medal tally with 36 medals in total – 13 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze. Negri Sembilan finished second with five golds while Sabah rounded up the top three with 12 medals (four golds, four silvers, four bronzes).

Men

50m freestyle: 1. Lim Ching Hwang (Sel) 23.62, 2. Daniel Bego (Swk) 23.68, 3. Anshul Kothari (Ind) 24.01.

100m butterfly: 1. Daniel Bego (Swk) 54.84, 2. Chan Jie (Sel) 56.02, 3. Keith Lim (KL) 56.73.

200m backstroke: 1. Tern Jian Han (Joh) 2:06.75, 2. Ashwin Menon (Ind) 2:10.07, 3. Ian James Barr (KL) 2:11.95.

1,500m freestyle: 1. Kevin Yeap (Prk) 15:45.87, 2. Welson Sim (Swk) 15:47.69, 3. Vernon Lee (Swk) 16:10.34.

Women

50m freestyle: 1. Chui Lai Kwan (Sab) 26.33, 2. Kok Cher Ling (Sel) 27.36, 3. Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 27.41.

100m butterfly: 1. Sze Hang Yu (Hkg) 1:00.92, 2. Chan Kin Lok (Hkg) 1:01.93, 3. Yap Siew Hui (Sel) 1:02.70.

200m backstroke: 1. Chris Tan Ling Ling (Sab) 2:26.81, 2. Amanda Pasaoa Lee (Sel) 2:30.28, 3. Tan Rou Ying (KL) 2:31.00.

800m freestyle: 1. Khoo Cai Lin (Sel) 8:50.47, 2. Evon Heng Kor Jin (Sab) 9:30:86, 3. Mirthe Hofstede (Sel) 9:34.29.