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SEA Games: Night to remember for Roanne Ho, Quah Zheng Wen as Singapore win 3 more swim golds

KUALA LUMPUR — The spotlight may be focused on Singapore swimming superstar Joseph Schooling at this 29th SEA Games, but it was the comeback stories of his team-mates Roanne Ho and Quah Zheng Wen who stole the show on the second day of the swimming programme at the Bukit Jalil’s National Aquatic Centre on Tuesday night (Aug 22).

Roanne Ho and Quah Zheng Wen with their gold medals on Tuesday night (Aug 22). Photos: Jason Quah/TODAY

Roanne Ho and Quah Zheng Wen with their gold medals on Tuesday night (Aug 22). Photos: Jason Quah/TODAY

KUALA LUMPUR — The spotlight may be focused on Singapore swimming superstar Joseph Schooling at this 29th SEA Games, but it was the comeback stories of his team-mates Roanne Ho and Quah Zheng Wen that stole the show on the second day of the swimming programme at the Bukit Jalil’s National Aquatic Centre on Tuesday night (Aug 22).

Blasting out from the blocks, Ho, who won the women’s 50m breaststroke in the 2015 Games, successfully defended her crown with a blistering swim in the one-lap race, clocking 31.29sec to break the Games and national record time of 31.45.

Malaysia’s Phee Jinq En was second in 31.54s, while Ho’s team-mate Samantha Yeo won the bronze in 32.17s. 

Ho’s achievement was all the more remarkable because it was just 19 months ago that the swimmer was lying in a hospital bed recovering from a life-threatening health condition. 

In January last year, the 25-year-old went to see a doctor for a bad cough, but an X-ray showed that her right lung had collapsed. She was rushed to hospital, where a tube was inserted into her lung to drain the air.  Just months later, she underwent surgery for a shoulder injury. 

That was why Ho was just happy to be back at the Games to try to defend her gold. “I wasn’t sure if I could because I was facing a lot of problems, even post-surgery,” she said. 

“I kept getting roadblocks during my training. At some point, I didn’t think it would be possible at all. So to be here, it’s almost a miracle.

“I lost a lot of fitness, even till now I can’t keep up with most of the team, it’s embarrassing! But they said you have only one lap to do in Malaysia! 

“This gold is one of the best things that’s happened in my life, as this time last year I wasn’t even swimming. To be here a year later and winning gold is unbelievable.”

Ho’s remarkable story of overcoming adversity and injury must have rubbed off on her team-mate Quah on Tuesday night, as the 21-year-old bounced back from his disappointing failure to defend his 50m backstroke title on Monday to clinch gold in the men’s 200m butterfly. 

Clearly a cut above the rest of the field, Quah took the lead after plunging into the pool and never let it go before storming home in 1:57.95 to finish ahead of Malaysia’s Faang Der Tia’A (2:01.04) and Navaphat Wongcharoen (2:01.06) of Thailand. 

The University of California, Berkeley undergraduate said later that losing the 50m back gold on Monday was a wake-up call. 

“Winning this gold was definitely the priority ... I was very disappointed with how I swam yesterday,” he said.

“But I put it behind me and had a pretty decent race in the 200m fly. I’m glad I was able to pull off the gold and I’m glad I won the relay with the guys. I’m going in tomorrow fresh, it’s a new day, going to focus on 200m backstroke and make sure I pull off a win again.”

Quah and team-mate Schooling then picked up their second gold medals of the meet on Tuesday, as the duo combined with Darren Lim and Danny Yeo to dominate the 4x100m freestyle relay and win it in a Games and national record time of 3:17.85. 

Schooling was the first off the blocks for the quartet and the Olympic champion built up an unassailable lead for Yeo and Lim, before Quah anchored the relay team to victory. 

Malaysia’s quartet of Keith Lim, Chan Jie, Lim Ching Hwang and Welson Sim gave the home fans much to cheer about as they overtook the Indonesians in the fourth lap to clinch silver in 3:21.79.

The Indonesians had to settle for bronze after clocking 3:23.65.

Despite confessing to feeling a little “lazy” after a long night’s sleep, Schooling was happy to be able to help contribute to the relay gold and new record.  

“It’s a great feeling, I just tried to do the best for my team, try to get them ahead,” said Schooling, who has now won two gold medals in two new Games record times so far after setting a new mark in the 50m butterfly on Monday. 

“These guys did the bulk of the work, so huge kudos goes to them I’m glad we could get a new record and win.”

Quah said the quartet are also aiming to qualify for next year’s Asian Games. “The time we put in was pretty darn good,” he said. “Looking forward, we can think about the Asian Games as well. I think we’re taking the right steps as a team and as a relay.”

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