CHRISTINA Loh can now be anointed Siow Yi Ting's successor as Malaysia's breaststroke queen after successfully defending the retired star's two titles at the Sea Games yesterday.
Having won the 100m event on Friday, the 18-year-old Christina swam to a personal best of 2:32.56s in the 200m with an incredible spurt in the last 50 metres.
Christina, who won the 50m breaststroke in 2011 in Palembang, improved on her previous best time of 2:33.03.
"I'm quite surprised but happy (to win both gold medals)," said a beaming Christina after the medal presentation at the Wunna Theikdi Aquatic Centre.
"To be able to take over from Yi Ting is incredible. She had been winning for so many years so I'm very happy."
Christina was trailing in third place for most of the race but at the 150m turn, she overhauled Thailand's Chavunnooch Salubluek (2:34.21) and Singapore's Samantha Yeo (2:34.27).
"That had been my plan," said Christina. "I was not too nervous (as before the 100m) and I tried to swim a smart race."
Christina's victory took swimming's tally so far to four gold, surpassing their target by one, with one day of action remaining.
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| Christina Loh won the 200m breaststroke yesterday. |
Malaysia missed out on winning another gold when Kevin Yeap had to be satisfied with silver in the men's 1,500m freestyle in a time of 15:45.89s with Vietnam's Lam Quang Nhat taking gold in 15:39.44.
Kevin had the faster personal best going into the event but the Vietnamese swimmer turned on the power from almost the start to shatter his own best time by six seconds.
Teammate Welson Sim came through for bronze while Yap See Tuan also took bronze in the men's 200m breaststroke as did the women's 4x100m medley quartet.
RESULTS - Men's 50m freestyle: 1 Triady Fauzi Sidiq (Ina) 23.12s (GR), 2 Russell Ong (Sin) 23.14, 3 Gavin Lewis (Tha) 23.41, 4 Lim Ching Hwang (Mas) 23.54;
1,500m freestyle: Lam Quang Nhat (Vie) 15:39.44s, 2 Kevin Yeap (Mas) 15:45.89, 3 Welson Sim (Mas) 15:57.98;
200m breaststroke: 1 Nuttapong Ketin (Tha) 2:13.32s, 2 Radomyos Matjiur (Tha) 2:17.77, 3 Yap See Tuan (Mas) 2:18.57;
Women's 200m freestyle: 1 Natthanan Junkrajang (Tha) 2:01.03s, 2 Quah Ting Wen (Sin) 2:01.74, 3 Lynette Lim (Sin) 2:02.62;
200m breaststroke: 1 Christina Loh (Mas) 2:32.56s, 2 Chavunnooch Salubluek (Tha) 2:34.21, 3 Samantha Yeo (Sin) 2:34.27... 5 Nadia Adrianna Redza Goh (Mas) 2:39.10;
4x100m medley: 1 Singapore 4:13.02s, 2 Thailand 4:15.52, 3 Malaysia 4:17.77.
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