Zheng Wen key to S’pore’s relay hopes

SINGAPORE — Singapore national swimming head coach Sergio Lopez believes the Republic’s chances of a good performance in the men’s relay events at next month’s FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, could hinge on whether Quah Zheng Wen is granted a deferment from full-time National Service.

The 18-year-old is due for enlistment in less than two weeks, although the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) is reportedly seeking a request for deferment from the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) so that he can focus on qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Lopez admitted it could affect the men’s medley relay team if Quah, the most bemedalled athlete of the recent 28th SEA Games with 12 medals — including seven gold — is not granted a deferment.

To underline his importance to the national men’s relay teams, the teenager, who has qualified for the 200m butterfly for the Rio Olympics, won the men’s 100m backstroke (54.65 secs) and 100m butterfly (54.04s) finals on the first day of the Neo Garden Singapore National Swimming Championships (SNSC) at the OCBC Aquatic Centre yesterday.

“The strategy for the men’s (medley) relay team is uncertain,” said Lopez. “Hopefully, we will get a deferment. (But) if we don’t, we will have to forget about the relays. It is as simple as that. For the 4x100m medley relay, we don’t have a better backstroker — the next best guy is doing a 57s, which is a three-second difference. For the 4x100m freestyle relay, you take out a guy that can do 49s, and put a guy who can swim 50-something (seconds) on a good day. It will be very tough.”

TODAY understands that MINDEF’s policy on granting deferment from full-time NS is applicable in “exceptional circumstances” to sportsmen who are “assessed to be potential medal winners at international competitions such as the Olympic Games and bring national pride to the country”.

Despite the uncertainty, Quah did not let it affect him as he finished ahead of team-mates Francis Fong (58.12) and Malcolm Low (59.06), who took silver and bronze, respectively, in the 100m backstroke. In the 100m butterfly, Quah edged Dylan Koo (55.53) and Donovan Lee (56.06) into second and third, respectively.

Meanwhile, in his first competitive appearance at a swim meet in Singapore yesterday, American breaststroke specialist Kevin Cordes clocked the fastest time of 27.54s in the men’s 50m backstroke final. His time also dipped below the qualifying mark of 27.58s for next month’s World Championships.

But as SNSC rules state foreign competitors are ineligible for a medal, the gold went to Lionel Khoo (28.97), with Kenneth Lim (29.31) and Samuel Khoo (29.49) settling for silver and bronze respectively.

The national swim team are using the SNSC to prepare for the July 24 to Aug 9 FINA World Championships, FINA World Junior Championships in Singapore (Aug 25-30) and Singapore leg of the FINA Swimming World Cup (Oct 3-4), and Cordes training with them as part of the SSA’s National Training Centre squad has been a huge influence.

Said Lopez: “Even though I have not really put them (with Cordes) that much, the team are really trying to understand his strokes. They are learning and watching and it’s great.”

Cordes admits the camaraderie within Singapore’s national swim team, most evident at the recent SEA Games, had also left an impression on him.

“It was awesome seeing them (Singapore swim team), winning medal after medal (at the SEA Games),” said Cordes. “It gives me motivation to do the same, leading up to the Worlds. My last meet was a month ago, and I went a whole second faster, so I am pretty pleased with how it went.”