Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling made the ideal beginning in his offer to win nine gold medals at the SEA Games with an amazing twofold on Sunday, June 7th.
The teenager managed to prove as good as expected with an overwhelming show of energy and confidence at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.
He triumphed the blue-riband 100 metres freestyle in 48.58, and then he swam the lead-off leg in 4x200m relay and set a new SEA Games record. With his perfect timing, he would have easily won him the individual 200m final on Monday, but he skipped that game.
Nguyen Thi Anh Vien, new queen of pool and presenter of Vietnam also won two more gold medals in swimming on Sunday. The teenager conquered the 200m backstroke and 200 individual medley, both completed in time, to take her gold medal record to four as she has entered eleven events at the SEA Games. More gold medals are expected to come.
She ruined her ideal record when she completed fourth in the 50m butterfly behind Singapore’s sweetheart of the pool Tao Li, who collected her 2th SEA Games gold award in her profession.
Singapore’s Quah Zheng Wen made it four awards from four occasions when he grabbed a silver medal behind Schooling in the freestyle dash then united with his buddy in the transfer. The host-country appreciated another fabulous day on Sunday, gathering up eight gold medals to stay top of the decorations table with 25 gold medals.
Soh Rui Young took things to an excellent beginning for the republic when he won the men’s marathon, which begun at dawn and it was raining. The 23 year old, long-distance runner beat Thailand’s Srisung Boonthung in a rush to the ending line with Hoang Nguyen Thanh of Vitenam grabbing the third place at the Kallang Practice Track.
Natthaya Thanaronnawat of Thailand won the women’s marathon. Mary Joy Tabal of the Phillipines won the silver medal with Hoang Thi Thanh grabbing the bronze one.
Singapore’s women celebrated their victory in netball and won a gold medal after defeating Malaysia 46-43 at the OCBC Arena Hall.
Singapore coach, Ruth Aitken exclaimed: “The crowd was magnificent, it was just wonderful.”
“We have been blessed all week with some fantastic crowd support and I think today it really did help to get us over the line. Thank you the eighth player!”
