The Star : Yi Ting on a mission

by ASHREENA PILLAI

My golden haul: Siow Yi Ting shows off the medals she won during the Malaysian Open Swimming Championship which ended at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil on Sunday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS / The Star.

KUALA LUMPUR: National swimmer Siow Yi Ting still has unfinished business in the pool. And that’s to better her national records.

She currently holds the national records in the 100m breaststroke (1:09.82), 200m breaststroke (2:27.80) and 200m individual medley (2:14.57).

The Negri Sembilan swimmer took time off to complete her BA in Arts and Sculpture from the University of Arkansas in the United States in 2010 and only returned to competitive swimming August 2011.

“It wasn’t easy to come back after a year off. In a way it was fun to take my mind of swimming and just focus on my studies but I still have some unfinished business in the pool,” said Yi Ting.

“I’m still capable of swimming fast times so it’s definitely given me a boost to want to try and break my national records.”

And the 27-year-old has no plans to call time on her career yet.

“I’m taking it one meet at a time. The goal is to compete as long as I can,” said Yi Ting.

“And I’m training better than ever ... even better than last year.

“I think I even surprised myself at how well I’m doing. So no, I don’t think it’s time yet.”

What’s more, her stellar performance at the recent Malaysian Open Swimming Champ–ionships where she amassed five gold medals in five events – 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breastroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley – along with three meet records is proof that the swimmer is still as driven as ever.

“I’m very happy with my performance. It’s definitely a great start for me ahead of the World Championships (July) and the SEA Games (December),” said Yi Ting.

In fact, she has already qualified for the 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m breastroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley for the world meet in Barcelona, Spain.

“I’m satisfied with most of my times ... maybe except for the 200m breaststroke.

“I was doubling events the first two days of competition and so I think it finally hit me (on Saturday).

“I would have loved to swim around the 2:30 mark in that one but I did a 2:32,” she added.

“It’s been a while since I’ve dipped under that mark, so it’ll be wonderful to achieve that at the worlds.”