The Star Sports : Teen sensation Hoe Yean wants to rule in 800m too

 

PETALING JAYA: Swimming sensation Khiew Hoe Yean (pic) is ready to make the 800m freestyle his new pet event.

The 18-year-old backstroke specialist showed he is just as capable in the middle distance freestyle disciplines with a stellar performance at the Malaysian Open last week.

While smashing former Asian Games gold medallist Lim Keng Liat’s 23-year-old record in the 200m backstroke was something expected from Hoe Yean, his record-breaking feat in the 800m freestyle was nothing short of extraordinary.

Swimming alone and competing for the first time in the event did not stop him from logging a creditable 8:06.00, bettering Welson Sim’s 2019 national record of 8:08.77.

Besides making the Olympic Selection Time (OST) of 8:08.54, that effort would place Hoe Yean seventh at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

This achievement augurs well for Hoe Yean in the future as the event is expected to be featured in more major multi-sport Games.

The men’s 800m freestyle was previously only contested at the World Championships, but it had since been included in the 2018 Asiad and is set to make its debut at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I already have a number of pet events, so I wouldn’t mind adding the 800m free into the list,” said Hoe Yean.

“I’m very pleased to have set a new national record on my first attempt but rest assured there will be more to come.

“There’s one Vietnamese (Asian Games bronze medallist Nguyen Huy Hoang) who’s really fast, so it’s good to have a superior competitor to look up to and keep myself motivated.”

Apart from the 800m, Welson’s dominance in his two other pet events could be under threat if Hoe Yean keeps trending in the right direction.

Hoe Yean signalled his intention to hunt down Welson’s two national records in the 200m freestyle (1:47.36) and 400m freestyle (3:49.29) by triumphing over the latter last week

Hoe Yean’s victories came with personal bests of 1:49.38 in the 200m freestyle and 3:51.56 in the 400m freestyle.

He will be keeping his fingers crossed that the Vietnam SEA Games will proceed as scheduled as he is eager to prove himself on the international stage.

In his debut in the Philippines two years ago, Hoe Yean clinched two bronzes medals – in the 200m backstroke and 4x200m freestyle.

TAGS / KEYWORDS:

Khiew Hoe Yean , Swimming , Freestyle , SEA Games

Swimming: Teen sensation Hoe Yean wants to rule in 800m too | The Star

Bernama : Satu lagi rekod dipecahkan Hoe Yean

 Oleh Vikneswaran Raman

Perenang muda Khiew Hoe Yean memecahkan satu lagi rekod acara 800 meter gaya bebas kebangsaan dan kejohanan dalam Terbuka Malaysia ke-63 di Pusat Akuatik Nasional, hari ini . Kredit gambar: Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN)

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Jun -- Perenang muda Khiew Hoe Yean memecahkan satu lagi rekod acara 800 meter gaya bebas kebangsaan dan kejohanan dalam Terbuka Malaysia ke-63 di Pusat Akuatik Nasional, hari ini.

Perenang berusia 19 tahun itu yang merupakan peserta tunggal, mencatatkan masa lapan minit dan 06.00 saat (8:06.00s) untuk memadamkan rekod wakil Olimpik negara Welson Sim  yang mencatat masa  8:09.77s di Kejohanan Renang Terbuka Victoria pada Februari 2019. 

Pencapaian hari ini juga membantu perenang Kuala Lumpur itu memadamkan rekod kejohanan 8:12.11s  oleh Srihari Nataraj dari India pada 2019, selain berada di bawah Masa Pilihan Olimpik (OST) pada  8:08.54s, menghampiri Masa Kelayakan Olimpik (OQT) pada 7:54.31s.

“Ini kali pertama saya berenang dalam acara 800m gaya bebas, jadi ia merupakan ketika dan masa yang baik.

Tetapi sebelum saya berenang, Saya yakin saya mampu bergerak pantas kerana saya rasa hebat semasa  memanas badan dan saya beraksi cemerlang dan memecahkan rekod. Sejujurnya saya menyasarkan rekod itu sebelum saya terjun,” katanya kepada Bernama. 

Hoe Yean juga mencatat masa di bawah 1:50.23s OST dalam acara 200m gaya bebas lelaki hari ini untuk memenangi acara itu dengan masa 1:49.38s, masing-masing mengalahkan pemegang rekod Welson (1:50.64s) di tempat kedua dan Low Zheng Yong (1:56.28s) di tempat ketiga.

Semalam, Hoe Yean memecahkan rekod kebangsaan berusia 23 tahun, 200m kuak lentang dengan mencatatkan masa 2:00.80s memadamkan rekod 2:00.94s bekas bintang negara Alex Lim Keng Liat.

Setakat ini, Hoe Yean telah melepas OST dalam acara 200m, 400m, 800m gaya bebas dan 200m acara kuak lentang, sementara Welson dan Phee Jing En masing-masing melepasi OST dalam 400m gaya bebas lelaki dan 100m kuak dada wanita. 

Hanya perenang yang memenuhi OQT dalam acara masing-masing menjelang 27 Jun dijamin slot di Olimpik. Dalam kes acara 200m acara kuak lentang, OQT ialah  1:57.50s.

Perenang juga boleh layak di bawah OST, berdasarkan penglibatan universal bermakna sesebuah negara tanpa wakil yang layak ke Olimpik akan dibenarkan untuk menyertai dengan hanya seorang perenang lelaki dan seorang perenang wanita ke Sukan Olimpik Tokyo. 

-- BERNAMA

The Star Sports : Hoe Yean’s unstoppable in the pool as he breaks national record again

By TAN MING WAI

PETALING JAYA: Teen sensation Khiew Hoe Yean is simply unstoppable as he capped off a superb week at the Malaysian Open swimming championships with another national record.

And he did it in style as the record fell in his first attempt in the men’s 800m freestyle.

Despite swimming alone, the 18-year-old managed to clock 8:06.00 at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukil Jalil yesterday to erase Welson Sim’s previous mark of 8:08.77 in 2019.

Hoe Yean’s effort made the Olympic Selection Time (OST) of 8:08.54.

Impressive feat: Khiew Hoe Yean clocked 8:06.00 in the men’s 800m freestyle event of the Malaysian Open at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukil Jalil.

On Saturday, Hoe Yean broke the 23-year-old record held by Welson in the 400m freestyle.

With barely an hour of rest, Hoe Yean returned to the pool and outpaced Welson in the 200m freestyle when he touched the wall in a brilliant 1:49.38, way ahead of second-placed Welson who managed 1:50.64 – a far cry from his own national mark of 1:47.36 in 2017.

Hoe Yean did better than his previous personal best of 1:51.26 and it earned him another OST as his effort was well under the 1:50.23 qualifying mark. Hoe Yean was delighted with his performance after netting four personal bests on his first return to competition since the National Age-Group Championships in March last year.

“It feels great. It’s my first time swimming the 800m free but my target was to break the record. I was however surprised but satisfied with my 200m free,” said Hoe Yean.

“Every single competition is real even though there’s no spectators or competitors. I will always take every meet seriously.

“I’m very pleased because I showed improvement each day and ended the meet with four personal bests. I will build on it!”

Hoe Yean has just given Malaysia Swimming (MS) a good reason to pick him instead of Welson for the Olympics.

Currently, Welson and Phee Jinq En are the only Malaysian swimmers who have made the OST list based on their results at the 2019 Sea Games in the Philippines but the national body intend to use the universality places allocation, where they can recommend one male and female.

Asked if he harbours hope of securing his Olympics debut, said Hoe Yean: “ I don’t know about it but I believe I have done my best by swimming as fast as I can. The rest is beyond my control.”

Bernama : Renang: Hoe Yean pecahkan rekod 23 tahun

 KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Jun -- Walaupun menjadi satu-satunya peserta acara 200 meter (m) kuak lentang di Terbuka Malaysia ke-63 hari ini, ia tidak melemahkan semangat Khiew Hoe Yean untuk memecahkan rekod kebangsaan berusia 23 tahun.

Hoe Yean, 19, yang menjadi satu-satunya peserta acara itu yang diadakan secara tertutup akibat COVID-19 itu, mencatatkan masa dua minit dan 0.80 saat (s), bagi memadamkan rekod lama dipegang Alex Lim Keng Liat 2:00.94s yang dicatatkannya ketika memenangi pingat perak di Sukan Asia Bangkok 1998.

Selain itu, catatan masa itu juga membolehkan perenang itu mencatakan masa melepasi Masa Pemilihan Olimpik (OST) 2:01:03s.

“Saya rasa amat gembira sehingga tidak tahu nak kata apa. Saya gembira kerana saya telah mencatatkan masa kelayakan B dalam satu lagi acara dan memecahkan rekod kebangsaan,” kata perenang dari Kuala Lumpur kepada Bernama ketika dihubungi.

“Saya tidak rasakan sebarang kelainan untuk berenang sendirian kerana ia acara kuak lentang. Saya tidak dapat lihat apa yang berlaku selain langit ataupun bumbung, jadi saya rasa tiada masalah untuk berenang sendirian. Tidak ada perbezaan jika anda tahu apa yang anda perlu lakukan,” katanya.

Esok, Hoe Yean akan meneruskan penyertaannya dalam acara 200m dan 800m gaya bebas.

Semalam, Hoe Yean yang kejohanan kali terakhirnya menyaksikan beliau menang lapan pingat emas di Kejohanan Renang Jemputan Malaysia pada Mac tahun lepas, mengalahkan Welson Sim dan memenangi acara 400m gaya bebas lelaki dengan catatan masa 3:51.56s, satu lagi catatan melepasi OST.

Hanya perenang yang telah mencapai Masa Kelayakan Olimpik (OQT) dalam acara masing-masing sebelum 27 Jun, mengesahkan tempat mereka ke Olimpik. Bagi 200m kuak lentang, OQT bagi acara tersebut ialah 1:57.50s.

Sehingga kini Welson dan Hoe Yean telah melepasi OST bagi acara 400m gaya bebas, manakala Phee Jinq En melepasi masa bagi acara 100m kuak dada wanita.

Perenang juga boleh layak menerusi OST, berdasarkan kepada penyertaan universal, iaitu negara yang tidak mempunyai atlet yang layak ke Olimpik, dibenarkan untuk menyertainya dengan seorang perenang lelaki dan seorang wanita untuk Sukan Olimpik Tokyo.

Sementara itu Welson mengungguli acara 100m kuak kupu-kupu dengan catatan masa 55.38s, mengalahkan Low Zheng Yong (56.90s) dan Jordan Yip (56.94s) di tempat kedua dan ketiga.

-- BERNAMA