CAPAS, TARLAC – Singapore’s Lionel Khoo Chien Yin foiled Fil-Am swimmer James Deiparine’s bid for a golden double, Sunday night at the 30th Southeast Asian Games swimming championships.
Deiparine, who ended the Philippines’ 10-year gold drought, narrowly lost the men’s 50-meter breaststroke race.
In a thrilling down-the-wire finish, Yin emerged on top with a time of 28.15 seconds, relegating Deiparine — who won the men’s 100-meter breaststroke last Wednesday — to silver anew (28.32). Meanwhile, Indonesian Nathaniel Gagarin was an eye-blink behind in taking the bronze (28.52).
The Philippine women’s 4×100-meter medley relay squad of Chole Isleta, Desirae Aubrey Mangaoang, Remedy Rule, and Jasmine Alkhaldi also added another silver. They clocked in at 4:11.10, breaking the old PH mark of 4:16.19 by the team of Roxanne Yu, Imelda Wistey, Hanna Dato and Alkhaldi in the 2015 Singapore SEAG.
Alkhaldi likewise added another bronze to her growing collection, placing third in the women’s 50-meter freestyle event in 25.48 seconds. Singapore’s Amanda Lim Xiang Qi (25.06) took gold, while Thailand’s Jenjira Srisasard bagged the silver (25.32).
Jasmine Alkhaldi’s time in the 50m freestyle hit the Olympic Selection Time-B time of 25.51s. However, this will be a harder route to Tokyo compared to universality.
