The 2019 Singapore National Championships opened with some climactic sprint action on its first night of competition, warming up to a grand distance freestyle finale.
Meet records new and old came falling down, as stalwart sprinters like Joseph Isaac Schooling came out of the gates swinging. Mun Ee Christie May Chue prepared to dominate the women’s side of competition, breaking into the top four in the women’s 100 free just minutes before resetting the meet record in the 200 breast.
Women’s 100 Free
Ting Wen Quah cinched the first natty win of the night, manhandling the competition with a 54.67 in the women’s 100 free. Eighteen-year-old Cherlyn Yeoh chased her to no avail, as she turned in a 55.33 to claim second ahead of Carmer Weiler Sastre (56.07). Mun Ee Christie May Chue was at her hip with a 56.47 of her own, bumping Xiang Qi Amanda Lim to fifth overall.
Jasmine Alkhaldi (56.51) just out-touched Natthanan Junkrajang (56.85) for a shot at the top six; while Junkrajang, the oldest woman in the field at 33, managed to hold off nineteen-year-old Natasha Ong (57.10). Kornkarnjana Sapianchai (57.68) and Shi Min Nur Marina Chan (57.74) rounded out the championship final.
Men’s 100 Free
Joseph Isaac Schooling kicked off the men’s schedule with a bang, shattering Zhen Wen Quah’s previous meet record of 49.73 with a blazing 49.16. Nearly a second ahead of the rest of the field, Schooling took down both Jonathan Tan (50.01) and Welsom Wee Cheng Sim (50.20) to steal the national championship.
It was a tightly packed race from there, as Keith Kit Sern Lim (50.68) and Jun Jie Mikkel Lee (50.80) engaged in a climactic stroke race for fourth overall, with Lim coming out victorious. Darren Chua was just on the outside with a time of 50.95, good enough to set Neel Roy (51.12) at seventh.
Li Mitchell Ang (52.62), Zhong Qing Erasmus Ang (52.78), and Rhys Ng (52.84) brought up the rear.
Women’s 100 Back
Kimiko Raheem (1:04.10) stole the show in the women’s 100 back, with less than a tenth separating her and her closest competitor Elena Lee Lee Na (1:04.19). Nurul Fajar Fitriati broke her way into the top three with a time of 1:04.76, bettering Maana Patel’s (1:05.59).mark by almost a second.
Faith Elizabeth Khoo (1:05.74) edged out Bonnie Yeo (1:07.33) for a spot in the top five; while Jamielyn Low (1:07.64) and Sydney Chun (1:07.80) partook in a mad dash to the finish for seventh.
Gemma Halim and Scarlett Nichol turned in times of 1:08.33 and 1:08.40, respectively.
Men’s 100 Back
Jian Han Tern went home with a title in the men’s 100 back, adding slightly to his time from prelims with a 56.79. Nevertheless, it was good enough to better Hoe Yean Khiew’s mark of 57.28 for the gold, while H Dimuth Akalanka Peiris rounded out the top three with a time of 57.93.
Wei Yang Malcolm Low (59.36) headed the second wave, crashing the pads just ahead of Ernest Ching (1:00.03). Jake Harris (1:01.24) held off Xu Wi Sherwayne Choy (1:01.43) for sixth; while Jeremy Kemp and Ardi Azman rounded out the heat with times of 1:01.55 and 1:01.97, respectively.
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Women’s 200 Breast
Mun Ee Christie May furthered her already impressive individual schedule, this time with a national championship and meet record in the women’s 200 breast. Slashing Samantha Louisa Yeo’s mark of 2:32.31, Chue surged ahead of the field to post a 2:31.47.
Gabrielle Jia Yun turned in a silver-worthy performance with her time of 2:34.10, gaining a narrow advantage over Eing Pawapotako (2:34.93) at the finish.
Alicia Li Ann Soosai brought in the heat’s third wave, finishing with a 2:37.71 ahead of Adi Erquiaga (2:40.12). Jing Xuan Claresa and Lauren Chew battled for sixth, turning in times of 2:43.89 and 2:44.79, respectively. Rouxin Tan (2:45.56), Nurtia Monica Sari (2:46.16), and Tian-Ti Charity Lien (2:46.37) topped off the nation’s top ten with impressive performances of their own.
Men’s 200 Breast
Maximillian Wei Ang came within striking distance of his own meet record set this morning, clocking in at 2:14.42 ahead of Prasobchai Kaewrungrueang (2:18.31). Despite Ang being in a race all his own, the battle was on for second, as Tasi Limtiaco barely conceded the silver with a time of 2:18.88. Jing Fu Ng nipped at his heels with a 2:19.19 of his own, as Lionel Khoo went slightly over his time from this morning with a 2:21.19.
Nicholas Cheong (2:25.47) managed to break into the top six ahead of Yi Hao Terence Ong (2:26.18); while Kai Kiat Ethan Yeo (2:27.87) bettered his time from the morning to cinch eighth. Owen Ngan (2:28.46) and Azri Azman (2:28.81) brought up the end of the heat, rounding out the country’s top ten.
Women’s 50 Fly
Jamie Yazhen Koo took the women’s fly lap, as she stroked in to a 27.19 finish ahead of Joy Srisa-Ard (27.38). Geunhui Lee earned her place on the medal stand with a 27.80, while Shi Min Nur Marina Chan (27.91) endured a heartbreaker.
Jasmine Alkhaldi was the last woman under 28.00, turning in a 27.97 to edge out Nicholle Toh Fann Rui (28.48). Ruby Cristol and Paloma Canos Cervera went stroke for stroke to post times of 28.48 and 28.70, respectively. Shang-Eve Tan (29.17) and Sarah Angelique Yip (29.19) lowered their times from this morning to nab ninth and tenth.
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Men’s 50 Fly
Tzen Wei Teong won in record-fashion on the men’s side, beating his own record from this morning with a time of 23.82. Creating healthy distance between himself and Glenn Victor (24.32), Teong turned head in his record-breaking lap.
Jie Chan seized third with relative ease, clocking in at 24.59 ahead of Motohide Mori (24.79). Narang Pornsiriporn was not to be ignored, as he surged to a 25.58 finish to beat Wi Wen Randall Neo (25.87). Ephraim Tan chased him with a time of 26.22, leaving Alard Schroeder (26.45) and Owen Allwood (26.45) to tie for eighth.
Women’s 1500 Free
The meet shifted gears and Adinda Larasati Dewi Kirana adjusted perfectly, running away with the championship, as she threw up a 17:23.36.
Li-Shan Chantal Liew also embarked on a race all her own as well, coming out of the gates strong before surging home to a 17:52. 72. Rosalind Pang chased her with a third-place time of 17:57.75.
Elizabeth Jiho Won proved that age is but a number, as the fifteen year old broke into the top four with an 18:00.44, bettering Xin Ru Charmaine Lee’s (18:07.25) time by nearly seven seconds. Inka Nur Fadilah Sari lowered her seed time with an 18:25.38, taking down Pei Ee Chevonne Lee (18:27.41) and Qian Hui Ervina Lim (18:34.51) for sixth. Jodie Natasha Eilers and Elizabeth Rose rounded out the country’s top ten with times of 19:17.63 and 20:10.78, respectively.
Men’s 800 Free
Advait Page topped off night one with a bang, clocking in at 8:00.76 for the national championship in the men’s 800 free. He remained largely uncontested, as Kushagra Ruwat’s time of 8:07.29 was good enough for second, followed by Glen Lim (8:09.61). Aryan Nehra put forth a valiant effort at the finish to take fourth, clocking in at 8:15.25 ahead of Luke Tan (8:22.68). Vishal Grewal and Nanda Wahyu Jendro Buwono remained neck-and-neck throughout with times of 8:39.22 and 8:42.98, respectively. Rui Zhi Ritchie Oh (8:43.47) and Yi Hao Terence Ong (8:43.50) earned ninth and tenth place in the country with their standout swims.
