| Fadhil Yunus |
HIS Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah binti Pengiran Haji Salleh Ab Rahaman yesterday attended the 2nd ISB Sprints & Masters Swimming Championships 2017 at the International School Brunei (ISB) Swimming Pool.
Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim ibni Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah competed in the Men’s 50 Short Course (SC) Metre Butterfly, Men’s 50 SC Metre Freestyle and Men’s 50 SC Metre Breaststroke events.
Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah binti Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri Pengiran Muda Mahkota Pengiran Muda Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was part of the ISB Hammerheads team that won silver in the Mixed 7 and Under 100 SC Metre Freestyle Relay in the morning session.
Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah and her team-mates only trailed behind the dominant Royal Brunei Recreation Club team with a finals time of 1:47.16.
The Royal Brunei Recreation Club team claimed two out of three possible relay events.
Yang Teramat Mulia Pengiran Anak Muneerah Madhul Bolkiah missed out on a podium finish in fourth place in the Girls 7 and under 25 SC Metre Backstroke with a time of 30.17s.
She also shaded three seed times eclipsing her old mark of 31.94s with a time of 30.17s in the backstroke event as well as breaststroke and freestyle events.
Yang Teramat Mulia, who won silver in the individual backstroke event earlier this year, also finished fifth in the butterfly event with a time of 33.40s.
Gymkhana Club Miri was hugely successful in the morning session with Deven Max Caroll leading the charge with six gold medals in the six contested events he was enrolled in.
Deven Max was accompanied by relay teammate Zhi Ping Seau in a gold medal galore who grabbed five out of five.
Gymkhana capped a dominant performance on foreign territory with their relay team consisting Zhi Ping, Deven Max, Genista R Druce, Ashleigh Hsu taking gold.
The visitors received a stern test from Pujut Miri Swimming Club who was inspired by the solo exploits of Annabelle Frederic with the young talent enjoying a haul of five gold medals out of five possible events.
Aldrich Frederic was also a major factor in Pujut Miri’s immediate success during the meet having contributed with four gold medals in four events.
Royal Brunei Recreation Club’s Kai Ling Shang was one of the most successful swimmers for a local team after winning the Girls 7 and under 25 SC Metre Butterfly and Freestyle events with a time of 23.89s and 21.43s respectively.
Joining her as multiple gold medallists was Panaga Stingrays’s Philippine Van den Berg who won the Girls 8 Year Olds 25 SC Metre Backstroke and Freestyle events.
Megan Lee of the Royal Brunei Recreation Club, Kate D’Bouk of ISB Hammerheads and Renee Anderson of the Panaga Stingrays also won gold in the Girls 8 Year Olds 25 SC Metre Butterfly, Girls 7 and under 25 SC Metre Backstroke and Girls 8 Year Olds 25 SC Metre Breaststroke, respectively.
Gymkhana emerged leaders in the morning session after accumulating 10 gold medals one more than their nearest rivals Pujut Miri Swimming Club.
Gymkhana Club Miri head coach David Cheong insisted that they are not setting any specific targets in terms of medal haul but they are interested in posting improved marks.
Cheong’s task extends beyond a coaching role as he also plays a crucial role in stimulating the young swimmer’s development and progress under his tutelage.
“I’m happy with their performance. I don’t only train them but I also teach and coach them. This team is based on my experience by teaching them and then groom them.
This is my development programme,” said Cheong.
“You have to lay down the foundation first. As they get older and older, if the foundation is right, they can go further in swimming. It will be more challenging as they get older,” he said.
Cheong added that the majority of the team members are new swimmers adding their intentions to beat their personal bests. “Any medal that follows will be a bonus,” said the head coach.
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