Singaporean swimmer Quah Ting Wen was bestowed with the prestigious top athlete award at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in Cambodia. The recognition was presented to her by Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Tea Banh during the closing ceremony at the Morodok Techo National Stadium.
With an outstanding performance, the 30-year-old swimmer concluded the Games with an impressive tally of six gold medals and two silvers. Expressing her gratitude, Quah Ting Wen stated, “I am extremely honored and proud to receive this award. I am thankful for the opportunity to have represented Singapore and excelled in my sport.”
The achievement holds special significance for Quah Ting Wen as both her brother and sister have previously received similar awards. She remarked, “My brother received the award in 2019, and my sister was the most bemedalled athlete at the Hanoi SEA Games last year, so it feels like a nice way to close the circle.”
During the SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Quah Ting Wen secured her fifth consecutive 100m freestyle gold medal, recording an impressive time of 55.83 seconds. Additionally, she contributed to Singapore’s milestone achievement of clinching their 1,000th SEA Games gold medal as part of the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, alongside Jing Wen, Nur Marina Chan, and Amanda Lim.
Further glory awaited Quah Ting Wen as she teamed up with Faith Khoo, Letitia Sim, and Jing Wen in the women’s 4x100m medley relay, setting a Games record of 4:06.97 and claiming yet another gold medal.
The remarkable feat marked Quah Ting Wen’s 60th career SEA Games medal, a testament to her illustrious career representing Singapore in nine SEA Games. When asked about her future in the sport, she hinted that this year’s Games might be her last. Reflecting on the significance of the SEA Games in her journey, she expressed, “It’s been a really long journey with Singapore at the Games; it really means a lot to me. Even though to some people it is just the Southeast Asian Games, it’s been a huge part of my career.”
Quah Ting Wen’s exceptional achievements and contributions to Singapore’s sporting legacy serve as an inspiration for aspiring athletes and a testament to the nation’s commitment to excellence in sports.
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