Zheng Wen breaks another national record

Zheng Wen breaks another national record

He had cut down on his training to focus on his studies. But less time in the water has not prevented Quah Zheng Wen from breaking another record at the Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships.

The 18-year-old Singaporean recorded 55.99sec in the 100m backstroke for the above-18 age group at the Singapore Sports School on Thursday to rewrite his national record of 56.11 set at the SEA Games last year.

Japan's Kohei Tsumura was second in 57.35 while Indonesian Ricky Anggawijaya (57.91) finished third.

Zheng Wen, a final-year International Baccalaureate (IB) student at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), also timed 25.92 to break the national record in the 50m backstroke on Wednesday.

He held the previous mark of 26.15, which was set last year.

Said Zheng Wen: "Cutting down on my training made me more nervous as I thought I would not be able to perform as well as I could."

Coach Gary Tan said: "I was not surprised as we have been building up on his strength in training so that has helped to improve him."

The timing of 55.99 would have earned Zheng Wen a bronze at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) but whether he will be in Nanjing for this year's edition is another question, with his examinations approaching.

"The YOG is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but I still have my IB exams to prepare for, so I am still in a dilemma over whether to participate in it," he said.

The girls' Under-14 100m backstroke record was also smashed by Tan Jing-E, 13. Despite finishing second in the 13-14 age-group event, the Methodist Girls' School student clocked 1:05.76 to erase Chan Fang Yi's record of 1:06.01, which was set in 2012.

Japan's Hori Azumi, 14, took top place with 1:05.73 while Hong Kong's Fung Ki Kei finished third in 1:07.77.


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