In a nail-biting finish at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre’s aquatic arena, Singaporean swimmer Jonathan Tan secured a fourth-place finish in the men’s 50m freestyle on Monday, Sep 25. He clocked a time of 22.11s, narrowly missing out on a podium spot.
Record-Breaking Performances
South Korea’s Ji Yuchan stole the show, clinching gold with a new Asian Games record time of 21.72s. This was Ji’s second record-breaking performance of the day. Following closely, Hong Kong’s Ian Ho secured silver with a time of 21.87s, while China’s Pan Zhanle took home the bronze, clocking 21.92s.
Reflections on the Race
Despite his commendable performance, Tan expressed some disappointment, particularly with his start. He mentioned, “I started … not too good and I think it just carried on from there.” Reflecting on his performance, he added, “Overall I’m a little bit upset, it wasn’t a time I’d wished it would be. But life is up and down. When I’m down the only way is up.”
It’s worth noting that Tan had previously recorded the second and third fastest times in Asia for the 50m freestyle this year and had met the Olympic qualifying mark earlier at the SEA Games.
Teong Tzen Wei’s Resilient Performance
In the same event, another Singaporean swimmer, Teong Tzen Wei, finished in sixth place with a time of 22.26s. Despite nursing an elbow ligament injury from late last year, Teong remained optimistic, stating, “I’m pleased to be close to where I was at the Commonwealth (Games) and I’m sure I’ll get there slowly.”
Relay Race Results
The evening also saw the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay where the Singaporean team, consisting of Ardi Azman, Glen Lim, Jerald Lium, and Tan, finished fourth with a time of 7:17.98. South Korea clinched the gold, followed by China with silver, and Japan securing the bronze.
In conclusion, while the Singaporean swimmers showcased commendable performances, there’s a collective sentiment of aiming higher and pushing boundaries in future competitions.
Also learn about Singapore’s Letitia Sim Sets New National Record Amid at Asian Games Swimming.
