The 2015 Singapore National Short Course Swimming Championships took place on December 18th and 19th at the state-of-the-art OCBC Aquatic Center. When all was said and done, a total of 12 National Records and 17 Meet Records were broken across both the men’s and women’s squads.
National Training Center Member Quah Zheng Wen was the record-breaking leader, taking his total to 5 new National Records by the conclusion of the two-day affair. 3 records came on the first night, as Quah cracked a new national mark in the men’s 100m freestyle. 48.11 is what 18-year-old Quah registered to take over the previous record of 48.66 held by Zach Ong since 2009.
Quah’s next National Record victim was the 200m butterfly, an event in which University of Texas stud/Singaporean star Joseph Schooling has held with a time of 1:59.44. Quah surpassed the record in spades, registering a new time of 1:57.83 to take over the record books in the event.
Finally, still on the same night, Quah threw down a 100m IM winning time of 53.76 to crush the old National Record. Quah himself held the previous mark at 55.21 in the event.
After Day 1, Quah told the Singaporean press, “I’m pretty satisfied with how I’ve done today. I mean it’s pretty solid races and I’m happy with the results.”
Another 2 National Records fell by the hands of Quah on Day 2, including another by World Championships bronze medalist Schooling. Quah logged a winning time of 50.84 in the men’s 100m butterfly event, which was exactly a second swifter than the previous record of 51.84 held by Schooling. Quah’s sub-51 time ranks within the world’s top 15 so far this season.
Quah then laid waste to his own 200m backstroke National Record, lowering his old mark of 1:58.22 to an impressive outing of 1:57.40.
Of his entire Nationals performance, Quah said, “It was cool that I managed to go fast and break the records, but I wouldn’t say that this meet was really my focus. I think we’re still putting more emphasis on training, and this meet was just used as a training session for us, just to step up and swim fast each time.”
Quah has already qualified thus far for the 2016 Olympic Games in the 100m/200m butterfly, as well as the 100m backstroke.
Singaporean National Team Head Coach, Sergio Lopez, said the following regarding his squad’s overall performances, “Congratulations to all the National Training Center Squad swimmers for the amazing Short Course Nationals they had this past week. Very proud of every swimmer for their great performances and most important for approaching the meet the way they did and racing hard every race. Many Personal Best times and a total of 12 New National Short Course Records and all being unshaved and unrested. Very proud of the way they are training but most important with the shift of mind change that has taken place these past twelve months”
Additional National Records Broken:
Men’s 400m Individual Medley – Pang Sheng Jun (4:14.36)
Men’s 400m Freestyle – Pang Sheng Jun (3:51.47)
Men’s 200m Breaststroke – Lionel Khoo (2:12.47)
Women’s 50m Breaststroke – Roanne Ho (31.88s)
Men’s 1500m Freestyle – Pang Sheng Jun (15:07.87)
Men’s 100m Breaststroke – Lionel Khoo (1:00.66)
Men’s 200m Individual Medley – Pang Sheng Jun (2:00.32)
Anyone know if Wen is going to pursue an NCAA career?
Don’t think so. Reports earlier this year indicated he’s staying in Singapore to study medicine at the National University of Singapore.
Plus there is the very real possibility of him graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery in only 5 years. (plus being an international swimmer ). How amazing does that look?
At 23 he could be a Double Olympian AND a Doctor !