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Swimming: Confidence boosted, Zheng Wen targets final spot at World C’ships

BUDAPEST – His deep drawl now carries a trace of an American twang, hinting at just where national swimmer Quah Zheng Wen has spent the last six months studying and training.

Quah Zheng Wen's confidence for the FINA World Championships has been boosted by his Rio Olympics semi-final finishes, and his silver in the NCAA 200-yard butterfly. But he is currently still getting used to swimming long course again after spending the past six months doing short course yards. Photo: Singapore Swimming Association

Quah Zheng Wen's confidence for the FINA World Championships has been boosted by his Rio Olympics semi-final finishes, and his silver in the NCAA 200-yard butterfly. But he is currently still getting used to swimming long course again after spending the past six months doing short course yards. Photo: Singapore Swimming Association

BUDAPEST – His deep drawl now carries a trace of an American twang, hinting at just where national swimmer Quah Zheng Wen has spent the last six months studying and training.

In January, the 20-year-old took a big leap of faith, leaving behind his life in Singapore to enroll at the University of California, Berkeley to pursue a degree in biology and chemistry.

The move also carried an element of risk, as Quah’s eligibility to compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) meet – a major factor in his decision to move to the United States – had not been sorted out because of questions over his amateur status. The NCAA rules do not allow amateur athletes to accept financial assistance or commercial deals, and Quah then had an endorsement deal with Liberty Insurance and had competed in professional events.

Quah was eventually cleared to compete, and his decision paid off at the NCAAs in March, as the young debutant surprised his rivals by winning a silver in the 200-yard butterfly.

“Berkeley, like anything, was a transition, and it was tough at first but as the semester went on it got easier and the support from my family, coaches and friends just made it that much easier and that made all the difference,” said Quah, who will be competing at this week's Fina World Championships in Hungary.

“I swam my first short course race in practice at Cal (University of California), I went 1:41 (200-yard fly), and everyone was very surprised. I knew that…I would have a very good chance at doing something at NCAAs so I had the confidence going in.”

After making an early splash at the NCAAs, the Berkeley freshman is happy with how his move to join the Cal Bears – which has produced top swimmers like three-time Olympic gold medallist (100m backstroke) and world record holder Ryan Murphy – has turned out.

He added: “I think I’ve done pretty well for myself over there, first NCAAs, getting runner-up position is not bad. I’m pretty happy with how I did, and satisfied that I helped proved to my coaches that it was the right decision to take me in and also just getting myself out there, getting more race experience is good.”

The switch back from short-course yards to long-course racing in a 50m pool for the world championships, however, has been challenging, he admitted.

“It’s been kind of hard transitioning into long-course metres,” he said.

“I’m just trying to get comfortable with my stroke again, the way I’m supposed to be swimming for long course. I have the fitness, now I’m just trying to get the feel nailed down.

“It’s more of a mental thing, short course yards is so short that you kind of rush your stroke just to get to the wall and there’s a lot of underwater swimming… your stroke kind of changes and shifts to accommodate that difference and distance.”

Few would doubt that Quah will get it right by the time he steps onto the starting blocks at Budapest’s Duna Arena.

Quah, who qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 100m and 200m butterfly at the Rio Olympics, clearly wants to make his mark in Hungary. He will compete in the 100m and 200m fly, 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, and he will be joined by Olympic champion Joseph Schooling, who is penciled in for all three butterfly events, and the 100m freestyle.

He is aiming for a top eight finish in at least one event. “I definitely want to be in at least one final. I think it’s achievable looking at what I’ve done at the Olympics,” he said.

“(With) just eight guys duking it out in the final, at that point I think it’s anyone’s game so I can just like sneak my way in there, it’s anyone game. I’ve been doing a lot of butterfly here and in the US as well, and I’m not really built like a sprinter so the 200m fly is the ideal setting for me (to achieve it).”

A final berth at the world championships will also be a huge confidence boost to Quah’s goal of winning a medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

He said: “I’m ready to be at that level (at world champs). I mean 10th at the Olympics last year, top eight at worlds this year…if I manage it that’ll put me in a very good state to do even better in the future. I’ve always believed I could do it and it’s time to do it.”

(Quah Zheng Wen and Joseph Schooling (right) with Singapore Swimming Association technical director Sonya Porter shortly in Budapest for the Fina World Championships. Photo: Singapore Swimming Association's Facebook Page) 

The world championships in Budapest will also be a big test for Schooling, who is aiming to bounce back from a disappointing NCAA season, where he failed to win an individual medal in his events.

Quah has backed his teammate to do well in his first international outing since his post-Olympics slump. He added: “I know that for any swimmer who has done well at the Olympics, it’s pretty hard to just bounce back immediately. It’s hard to get to get back into things after a big meet like that.

“I don’t think I’m in a position to comment on how he swam there (NCAA). He’s definitely in better shape now and I think he’ll do well at the worlds.”

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