KUALA LUMPUR: Sixteen-year-old Dhuha Zulfikry created waves at the National Aquatics Centre today, breaking Welson Sim's 800m freestyle record at the first Malaysia Aquatics Short Course Swimming Championships.
Dhuha, representing Ikan Bilis Swimming Club, clocked 7:49.20s to erase Welson's mark of 8:04.18s set in 2019.
Jayden Tan from DSA Swimming Club was second with 8:05.74s, and Goh Li Hen, representing Kota Permai Golf and Country Club Swim Team, rounded up the podium after posting 8:06.04s.
"I'm happy I can break my senior, Welson's national record. I'm very proud of this achievement.
"My next target is to be the best boy at Sukma 2024 in Sarawak.
"After that, I will work towards qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles," said the national backup squad swimmer.
The records kept tumbling at the pool with Phee Jinq En erasing Chistina Loh's 100m breaststroke record in the morning prelims by setting a time of 1:08.26s. Chistina's previous mark was 1:08.94s set in 2013.
In the afternoon final, Jinq En, representing DSAS Swimming Club, smashed her own record by posting a sensational time of 1:06.86s.
Paris Olympics-bound Tan Rou Xin, representing Kelab Renang Ezy, was second with 1:09.85s, and Isabelle Chiyi Buckley of Ikan Bilis Swimming Club completed the podium (1:11.69s).
In the men's 200m butterfly, Low Zheng Yong of Kelab Renang MAS had earlier beaten Wong Jun Bin's decade-old record of 2:02.89s in the morning prelims by setting a time of 1:59.23s.
In the afternoon final, he broke his own record by posting a time of 1:57.96s.
Li Hen was second (2:00.99s) and teammate Goh Li Jie was third (2:01.36s).
Chui Lai Kwan, the 2007 Sea Games gold medallist in the women's 50m freestyle, broke her own record of 26.36s set in 2023 in the morning prelims by setting a time of 26.10s.
In the final, the 34-year-old Lai Kwan, representing Kelab Renang Sandakan, improved on that record by setting a winning time of 25.64s.
Khew Zi Xian of Pade-Supersharkz Swimming Club and Wong Shi Qi of Pahang Aquatics Association shared second place after posting identical times of 26.49s.