Latest news with #nationalrecord
CNA
3 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee smashes 1,500 freestyle national record, through to final at World Aquatics Champs
SINGAPORE: Nearly 24 hours after smashing a 15-year national record on home soil, Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee was at it again as she rewrote her own 1,500m freestyle national record at the World Aquatics Championships on Monday (Jul 28). At the World Aquatics Championships Arena in Kallang, the 22-year-old clocked a time of 16:01.29 to eclipse her previous record of 16:10.13, which was set at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She finished fourth overall and qualified for the final – the first Singaporean female swimmer to do so since Tao Li in 2007. On Sunday, Gan clocked a time of 4:09.81 in the women's 400m freestyle, breaking Lynette Lim's national mark that was set at the December 2009 SEA Games. She finished 13th overall in the heats, with Canada's Summer McIntosh winning the event. Gan has been in fine form in recent times. At last year's Paris Olympics, she set two national records in the 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle. She was the first Singaporean female swimmer to do so at the Games since Tao Li (100m backstroke) in 2012. Gan will next turn her attention to the 200m freestyle on Tuesday.
CNA
4 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
'It's just special': Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee smashes 15 year national record at World Aquatics Champs
SINGAPORE: Days after celebrating her 22nd birthday, there were more reasons for cheer for Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee as she smashed a 15-year national record on home soil at the World Aquatics Championships. Gan, who is the current national record holder in the 800m and 1500m freestyle events, clocked a time of 4:09.81 in the women's 400m freestyle on Sunday (Jul 27). This eclipses Lynette Lim's national mark of 4:11.24, set at the December 2009 SEA Games. She had come into the event with an entry time of 4:12.31. Gan finished first in her heat and finished 13th overall. United States' Katie Ledecky topped the four heats with a time of 4:01.04. "I was very pleasantly surprised that I went below my best time by that much," Gan told reporters. "Past a certain age, my best times have only been incrementally getting better. Especially the 400m, which has been quite a challenging event for me. I don't think I've made a massive breakthrough in the past few years." The Singaporean has been in fine form in recent times. At last year's Paris Olympics, she set two national records in the 800m freestyle and 1500m freestyle. She was the first Singaporean female swimmer do so at the Games since Tao Li (100m backstroke) in 2012. Gan will be competing in both of these events at the meet in Singapore in the coming days. "Every race, every meet has a different prep leading up to it, there's a different story ...It's just special to do it in front of the home and with all my friends and family," she said.
Independent Singapore
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
'Another national record!' — Gout Gout sets new Australian 200m record in Ostrava
Photo: Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout made history in his first-ever senior international competition at the Ostrava Golden Spike as he set a new Australian national record of 20.02 seconds in the 200 metres. The young athlete also improved his previous record by two-hundredths of a second. At the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet in the Czech Republic, the 17-year-old athlete finished 0.17 seconds ahead of Reynier Mena from Cuba. Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake was third with a final time of 20.60 seconds. Gout has had the chance to compete internationally in under-20 and under-18 competitions in the past seasons, but the Ostrava meet was his debut senior race outside Australia. For the record, this was the venue where Bolt was scheduled to make his European debut as a 17-year-old in 2004. However, a hamstring injury stopped him from competing. After his impressive win, Gout admitted: 'I've felt stronger in training these last couple of months and I've felt good since I got to Europe last Thursday.' He added: 'I knew Mena would come hard at me the first 100, but I was confident I'd be close enough to come home strongly in the second part of the race, which is, of course, my stronger part… I felt calm but strong as I came off the turn and was confident I'd be strong enough to get the win. Another national record; pretty happy with that. It's not a bad first up in Europe.' Because of his exceptional performances in the field, Gout Gout has been included in the Australian team at the World Championships in Tokyo this coming September. On social media, World Athletics shared Gout's achievement, saying: 'Dream European debut ✨… Australia's @ powers to 20.02 in the men's 200m at @zlatatretra 😎 First senior race abroad ✅. First race ever in Europe ✅. First senior win abroad ✅. Breaks area record ✅.' Netizens were quick to congratulate the rising sprinter, leaving a flood of encouraging comments under the video. Many praised his impressive performance and potential, with one remarking, 'New star was born 🔥🔥 keep going 💪.' Another wrote, 'Congrats, Gout! Smashing the Aussie record in your first senior race in Europe is huge. I'm proud to be part of your journey and can't wait for what's next. Keep smashing it!' Others added, 'This kid is goin' places, he will go far,' and 'The kid got IT🔥.' One fan even joked, 'How did the camera capture him 🤔 faster than sight 🔥🔥🔥🔥.' Others saw Gout Gout's resemblance to legend Usain Bolt. 'His form looks like Bolt's,' one observed, while another declared, 'The future Bolt🔥.'
CNA
25-06-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Australian teen sensation Gout betters his own 200m national record
OSTRAVA, Czech Republic :Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout crushed the 200 metres field in his first senior race abroad on Tuesday, bettering his own national record by two hundredths of a second to finish in 20.02 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spike. The 17-year-old ran a textbook race in his European debut at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event in the Czech Republic, crossing the line 0.17 seconds ahead of Cuban Reynier Mena, while Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60) was third. "I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race," the Queensland schoolboy told reporters. "I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do — my favourite thing, and that's to run. "So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that ... Get some more races in me and (the 20-second barrier) will drop for sure." Gout has drawn comparisons to Jamaican great Usain Bolt and he made headlines in December when he broke Peter Norman's national record that had stood for 56 years in 20.04. He ran a 19.84-second 200 and 9.99 seconds in the 100m at the Australian national championships in Perth in April but a strong tailwind rendered both illegal.
Al Arabiya
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Australian teenager Gout Gout lowers his national record in the 200 in his first pro race in Europe
Gout is 17, he's being compared with Usain Bolt, and he has lowered his national record in his first professional race in Europe. The Australian high school senior improved his own national record when he won the 200 meters at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava in 20.02 seconds. It's not the fastest he's ever run over the half-lap sprint, but it's gaining him more attention. Gout posted two wind-assisted times under 20 seconds – clocking 19.84 and 19.98 at the national championship at Perth in April – but neither was considered legal because the wind was above allowable thresholds. Even without those two sub-20 times, he's still in the top seven all-time for Under-20s, a list that includes Bolt, the great Jamaican sprinter who dominated the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. At age 16 last December, Gout ran 20.04 seconds to win the 200 at the national high school championships and break a 56-year-old national record over that distance set by 1968 Olympic silver medalist Peter Norman. Running in Lane 6 at Ostrava on Tuesday – the timing made it perfect for Wednesday morning TV news shows back in Australia – Gout finished powerfully to surge past Cuba's Reynier Mena on his inside over the last 30 meters. 'Another national record! Pretty happy with that. It's not a bad first-up in Europe,' he said. 'I've felt stronger in training these last couple of months, and I've felt good since I got to Europe last Thursday.' Gout was born in Ipswich near Brisbane in Queensland state. His parents are South Sudanese immigrants who moved to Australia in 2005. Gout will race again in Europe next month before returning to Australia for some schoolwork and preparation for the world championships in Tokyo in September.
