2019 FINA WORLD CUP STOP #1 – TOKYO, JAPAN
- Friday, August 2nd – Sunday, August 4th
- Tokyo, Japan
- LCM
- SwimSwam Meet Preview
- Entries
- Day 1 Recap
- Results
While competing on day 1 of the 2019 FINA World Cup stop in Tokyo, Japan, Singaporean swimmer Quah Ting Wen lowered her own National Record in the women’s 50m freestyle.
After establishing herself as the 4th-seeded swimmer with a morning effort of 25.26, the 26-year-old powered her way to the all in a time of 24.92. That garnered her the bronze medal behind winner Michelle Coleman of Sweden, who notched the fastest time of 24.66. Cate Campbell of Australia took silver in 24.81.
Quah’s previous lifetime best and Singaporean National Record stood at the 25.07 she clocked at the Singapore National Age Group Championships (SNAGs), which took place this past March. At that home meet, Quah also hit a time of 54.82 in the 100m free to become Singapore’s first-ever sub-55 second female 100m freestyler.
In June, she shaved off even more time from her 50m mark, ultimately finishing with a new record to 54.62 at the Singapore National Swimming Championships.
With her 24.92 effort tonight in Tokyo, Quah can now claim she is the first Singaporean woman ever to dip under the 25-second barrier in the 50m free as well.
Post-race, Quah said, “I was excited before the race, yet at the same time nervous, but was happy to just be in the final and racing against all these fast women.
“I did not know how to react when I saw that 24. I kept asking myself, ‘Is that what a 24(-sec) swim feels like?’. Because it felt awesome, and I was very happy.
Might want to tweak the title to add “woman.” I’m sure Joseph Schooling has broke 25.
Awesome!!