Schooling Bows Out Of 50 Free On Final Night Of Singapore Nats

14TH SINGAPORE NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018

The 2018 Singapore National Swimming Championships wrapped up today at the OCBC Aquatic Centre with fans getting a glimpse of Olympic champion Joseph Schooling only in the morning heats. For the first time-ever, the competition includes a knock-out style competition for all of the 50m races, with 4 rounds taking place during the morning and evening sessions today.

Schooling was set to race both the 50m fly and 50m free rounds, but stuck to just the free this morning where he finished with the 2nd fastest time of the morning in 22.80. However, the 23-year-old would wind up scratching the remaining rounds, with Singapore Swimming stating, “National Head Coach and Performance Director Stephan Widmer has withdrawn Schooling from the 50 freestyle sprint races for this evening.”

The statement continued, “This week’s competition is part of the plan Widmer and his team has in place for Joseph. Having achieved the targets set, the coaching team has made the decision to withdraw from him the Finals and to work towards the next phase of his training for the upcoming Asian Games.”

In his absence, AquaTech Swimming’s Teong Tzen Wei broke though for the men’s 50m skins win. His final time of 22.52 wasn’t too far off of Schooling’s own national record fo 22.47 set at the 2015 SEA Games.

Additional men’s sprint winners were as follows:

  • 50m fly – Matthew Temple, Victoria, 24.36
  • 50m breast – Sandeep Sejwal, India, 27.59
  • 50m back – Kasipat Chograthin, Thailand, 25.77

A pair of 15-year-olds took home the 400m freestyle victories this evening, with Glen Lim notching his 2nd national record of the meet. After busting out a new 800m national mark on night one, the teen returned on the final night to capture the 400m free title in 3:54.12. His performances over the course of the meet earned Lim ‘Male MVP’ status.

His female counterpart led the 400m free wire-to-wire to earn the gold, with Gan Ching Hwee of Chinese Swimming Club winning the race in 4:17.37.

The ‘Female MVP’ award was handed to Christie Chue, tonight’s winner of the 50m freestyle knock-out rounds. She ultimately clocked a mark of 25.38 to win the event and establish a new meet record in the process.

Additional women’s sprint winners were as follows:

  • 50m fly – Quah Ting Wen, Singapore, 27.20
  • 50m breast – Roanne Ho, Singapore, 31.61
  • 50m back – Hoong En Qi, Singapore, 29.83

Indonesia’s Aflah Prawira took the men’s 400m IM in 4:26.14.

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Sherayne ang Wan Ling
5 years ago

Looking at how fast Joe swims during training,he has a very decent chance of winning gold in both the 50m and 100m freestyle!Both his freestyle and butterfly swims are Super duper fast!Much quicker than any swimmers in the ntc squad.

Sherayne Goh Wan Ling
5 years ago

Well he may have made the wise choice of Swimming the 50m freestyle over the 200m fly as he is more of a fast sprinter!He might have a better chance of winning gold in the 50m freestyle as compared to when he swim the 200m fly,which is more of Zheng wen’s event.

Marcus Teo Jun jie
5 years ago

Most probably joe will be Swimming the 50m,100m fly;50m,100m freestyle and the 4 relays at upcoming Asian games

Aaron Loh cwss
5 years ago

Hope he swims the 50m freestyle at Asian games this time around.afterall,he has swam the 50 yard freestyle at the past 2 ncaas

Cate
5 years ago

I have never seen a professional tennis player scratch from the semis or a golfer not show up for the final round because they “met their goals”. Talk about shooting your sport in the foot.

Sport Project Swimming
5 years ago

The 2016 Olympic100 meter Butterfly gold medal winner “Joseph Schooling” winner of the big game you can jeer or give him his due until 2020.

Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

As we like to say in Texas, Joe is all hat and no cattle.

AfterShock
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
5 years ago

As they say in Brooklyn, Fuhgettaboutit.

Brutus
5 years ago

Just heard Joe’s agent is trying to set up a prize money match race against Dean Farris for $1,000,000 winner take all:
Schooling races 50 free versus Dean swimming a 200 free. Dean Farris apparently has indicted he will accept the challenge. THIS JUST IN – Vegas posted the betting odds listing Farris as the 2 to 1 favorite. NEWS FLASH – Schooling’s agent says Joe has decided to bow out from the match race for personal reasons. Damn would have been a close race!

AfterShock
Reply to  Brutus
5 years ago

I preferred Phelps v. Shaq

MaxT
Reply to  Brutus
5 years ago

Hm… Heard some of guys skipped the knockouts swim for 50 m events at the Santa Clara Tyr pro event earlier this mth too.

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Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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