KUALA LUMPUR: New national swimming coach Erik Anderson is showing instant result as his charge, Andrew Goh, set a national record in the men's 100m breaststroke at the Malaysian Open on Friday.
The 20-year-old, who joined the national swimming programme a few weeks ago, clocked 1:02.30s to finish third at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.
His time shattered the previous national record of 1:02.34s set by Selangor's Ng Jing Fu in 2019.
Namibian Ronan Zuberg Wantenaar captured the gold in 1:02.10s, while the silver was won by India's Likith Selvaraj Prema, who clocked 1:02.21s.
Andrew now holds both the 50m and 100m breaststroke national records. He set the 50m breaststroke national record in the Malaysian Open last year.
Andrew left the national swimming programme after returning home empty-handed from the 2023 Cambodia Sea Games. But
he decided to give himself a second chance after the change in the national coaching set-up.
"We have a new swimming coach (Anderson) and I think he's really good. I look forward to working with him everyday and in the future as well.
"I can see myself improving and now I have managed to break Jing Fu's national record. It's a fast time and not easy to go near but everything went well for me today.
"Actually I didn't taper for this meet as we are preparing for the Singapore national championships next month and Malaysia Games after that.
"Before the start of the race, I told my friend I feel something was coming. I also had some good swimmers going to the Olympics, pushing me to swim fast," said Andrew, who also won the men's 200m breaststroke silver medal on Thursday.
Andrew has a chance to bag a third medal when he swims the 50m breaststroke race on Saturday.
Two-time Olympian Phee Jinq En clinched the silver in the women's 100m breaststroke in a good time of 1:09.42s behind the Olympic-bound swimmer from Denmark, Thea Blomsterberg, who won in a new meet record of 1:08.35s.
RESULTS (ALL FINALS)
Men
50m backstroke: 1 Diggory Dillingham (US) and Jeff Chua (Swk) 27.12, 3 Teoh Kar Chuan (Sel) 27.80;
100m breaststroke: 1 Ronan Zuberg Wantenaar (Nam) 1:02.10, 2 Likith Selvaraj Prema (Ind) 1:02.21, 3 Andrew Goh (Sel) 1:02.30;
200m freestyle: 1 Arvin Shaun Singh (Ter) 1:49.39, 2 Jayden Tan (Kul) 1:50.76, 3 Dhuha Zulfikry (Kul) 1:51.69;
400m individual medley: 1 Hii Puong Wei (Swk) 4:36.22, 2 Goh Li Hen (Sel) 4:36.67, 3 Goh Li Jie (Sel) 4:38.66;
4x100m freestyle: 1 Selangor 3:27.68, 2 Kuala Lumpur 3:30.87, 3 Penang 3:31.09;
Women
50m backstroke: 1 Chong Xin Lin (Kul) 29.64, 2 Idealy Diaritiana Tendrinavalon (Mad) 31.51, 3 Megan Ho (Kul) 31.66;
100m breaststroke: 1 Thea Blomsterberg (Den) 1:08.35, 2 Phee Jinq En (Sel) 1:09.42, 3 Tan Rouxin (Joh) 1:13.07;
200m freestyle: 1 Enkhkhuslen Batbayar (Mgl) 2:00.54, 2 Sagita Putri Krisdewanti (Ina) 2:07.54, 3 Serenna Karmelita Muslim (Ina) 2:07.69;
400m individual medley: 1 Jehanara Nabi (Pak) 5:11.99, 2 Georgene Wee (Kul) 5:12.67, 3 Kelly Teo (Swk) 5:13.42;
4x100m freestyle: 1 Indonesia 3:58.17, 2 Selangor 3:58.53, 3 Kuala Lumpur 4:02.56.