The Star : Swimmer Fu Kang gets a reality check after losing to Thai veteran

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Wong Fu Kang has received a timely wake-up call ahead of the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games this August.

The 18-year-old failed to defend his men’s 100m breaststroke title after losing to Thailand’s Radomyos Matjiur, who is 10 years older than him, in his pet event at the Malaysia Open Swimming Championships in Malacca yesterday.

Fu Kang clocked 1:03.90 to settle for silver while the Thai posted 1:03.40. Hong Kong’s Kwok Ka Fai took bronze in 1:05.02.

Fu Kang, representing Johor, won gold in the event in his SEA Games debut in Singapore two years ago with a new national record of 1:02.46.

Wong Fu Kang was not too disappointed despite finishing second to Thailand’s Radomyos Matjiur in the men’s 100m breaststroke final. Radomyos is 10 years older than the 18-year-old Fu Kang. — A. MALEX YAHAYA

Radomyor, who won gold in the 2013 Myanmar SEA Games, has shown that he has what it takes to spoil Fu Kang’s party in his own backyard come August.


What is worrying is that Radomyos has yet to peak, with his best effort being the 1:02.36 he clocked at the Rio Olympics last August.

Fu Kang certainly has his work cut out for him, though he wasn’t too disappointed with the silver.

“The Malaysia Open is a training competition for me. My rivals are swimming well now, but the SEA Games are still three months away.

“I want to peak at the right time as my target is to win the gold for Malaysia in my home SEA Games,” said Fu Kang, who clocked 1:02.73 to win the A final of the 15 and above age group at the Singapore national age-group championships in March.

Rio Olympic swimmer Welson Sim bagged the men’s 400m freestyle gold medal for Sarawak in 3:55.34 ahead of national team-mate Yeap Zheng Yang.

Selangor’s Zheng Yang clocked 4:00.69. India’s Prakash Sajan clocked 4:01.05 for the bronze.

Tern Jian Han was the other Malaysian individual winner on the opening day of the meet.

The Johor-born swimmer posted a personal best time of 26.12 in coming out tops in the men’s 50m backstroke.

Thailand’s Kasipat Chograthin (26.23) took silver and Selangor’s Jordan Yip (26.96) the bronze.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2017/05/05/swimmer-fu-kang-gets-a-reality-check-after-losing-to-thai-veteran/#lsI8BGsurCAHOkUq.99