Letitia Sim Breaks SEA Games Record Amid Singapore’s Streaks Ending

BANGKOK: On December 10, 2023, Letitia Sim set a new record in the women’s 50m breaststroke at the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, contributing to a two-gold performance by Singapore’s swimming team. Sim’s time of 31.03 seconds edged out Thailand’s Jenjira Srisa-Ard, who had defeated her in the previous edition of the Games. While Sim celebrated her victory, multiple longstanding winning streaks for Singapore’s swim team came to an unexpected halt.

In the men’s 100m freestyle event, Singapore’s Mikkel Lee secured gold with a personal best of 48.65 seconds, marking his first victory in this event at the SEA Games. Lee previously clinched gold in the 50m butterfly and was part of the men’s victorious 4x100m freestyle relay team in 2021. “There are so many great guys before me that have won this 100m freestyle. I’m just glad to add my name to the list,” Lee stated, highlighting the competitive spirit of the event.

Historic Streaks End for Singapore

Despite the triumphs, Singapore’s swimmers faced significant challenges in other events. In the men’s 100m backstroke, Quah Zheng Wen, a five-time defending champion, finished third with a time of 56.04 seconds, behind Indonesia’s Jason Donovan Yusuf and Farrel Tangkas. Zheng expressed his disappointment, noting, “I think I just wasn’t recovered enough from the previous event. I really felt it towards the end of that race.” He has dominated this event since the 2015 SEA Games, making the loss particularly poignant.

In the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, Singapore’s team, comprising Gan Ching Hwee, Ashley Lim, Quah Jing Wen, and Quah Ting Wen, finished behind the Philippines, who took gold with a time of 3:44.26. Ting Wen reflected on the race, stating, “Everyone tried their best and I’m proud of them,” amid a sense of regret for not clinching victory.

The disappointment continued in the 200m butterfly, where Quah Jing Wen, who has held the title since 2017, finished with bronze. She expressed her emotional struggle after the race, saying, “I just gave my everything. It is just very hard to put into words.” Her brother, Zheng Wen, praised her resilience, saying, “She’s a warrior and she’s going to bounce back after this event.”

Looking Ahead in Competition

National swimming head coach Gary Tan acknowledged the mixed results but emphasized the importance of remaining positive. “Definitely, it’s hard to swallow. We don’t want to lose; no one wants to lose. But there are a lot of uncontrollables as well. We just got to step up every single day and get better every single day,” he noted, encouraging his swimmers to focus on the remaining days of the competition.

With five more days of events left, Singapore’s swimming team remains determined to reclaim their previous successes. The SEA Games continue to showcase the rising talent in the region, as athletes like Letitia Sim and Mikkel Lee make their mark on this prestigious stage. Fans can catch all the action of the 33rd SEA Games live via mewatch.