Swimming: Yi Ting has eyes firmly set on Laos

Siow Yi Ting has beaten three Sea Games qualifying marks.

SIOW Yi Ting sent a clear message that she's got all her cannons aimed towards the Laos Sea Games in December after the 24-year-old smashed the qualifying marks in three events over the weekend.

Swimming at the Santa Clara Invitational in California, where high profile Olympic champion Michael Phelps was also present, Yi Ting dipped below the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley qualifying marks.

The University of Arkansas student was good enough for top 20 placings in all her events at the meet, signalling her intent on bettering what was a poor performance by her standards in the Korat Sea Games two years ago.

In Korat, Yi Ting only managed a single gold and three silver medals, losing out to Singaporean Nicolette Teo in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events.

Malaysia's prospects in the breaststroke events are also boosted by promising 13-year old breaststroke specialist Christina Loh, who is already homing in on Yi Ting's national marks.
Yi Ting, however, is not faltering by any margin. In the California meet, she clocked 2:17.88s in the 200m individual medley, less than a second short of her national mark of 2:16.92s, but better than her Korat gold medal mark of 2:18.52s.

She was close to her national mark of 1:11.29s in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:11.62s, while in the 200m breaststroke she clocked a 13th fastest time of 2:31.81s, which was some way off her national mark of 2:27.80s set in the Beijing Olympics.

Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM) secretary Edwin Chong believes the 2008 woman Olympian of the Year is well on track to regain her lost pride in the Laos Sea Games.

"On the form she has now, she has time to improve even further and is a good bet to deliver at least two gold medals -- in the 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley," said Edwin.

"It will be harder for her in the 100m breaststroke and 400m individual medley as her rivals have competitive times."

Yi Ting will return next month for a final phase of training before she heads to Rome, Italy for the first big assignment of the year, the World Championships.

She is joined by Daniel Bego, Foo Jian Beng, Khoo Cai Lin and Marellyn Liew in Malaysia's swimming contingent for the World Championships.

NST