Chii Lin to adopt new start approach for Olympics

PETALING JAYA: Old habits are hard to break but Sabah swimming coach Lim Keng Liat is certainly glad Leung Chii Lin (pic) has changed the way she takes off from the starting block.

Chii Lin, who is the country's top short-distance swimmer, has adopted the one leg forward start after Sukma (Malaysia Games) in Terengganu last month and she plans to stick to it in her Olympic debut in Beijing next month.

The 17-year-old bagged two individual and two relay gold medals in her maiden appearance in Sukma. She also smashed two Games records in the 50m and 100m freestyle.

And Keng Liat will be looking at Chii Lin getting used to her new start approach when she swims in the Asian Schools championships, which begin today at the Darul Ehsan Aquatic Centre in Shah Alam.

“She previously used both her legs to start. But her experience in the Mare Nostrum Series in Europe after Sukma changed her outlook.

“She began to realise that she may be the best in the country but not so competitive among those in Europe. The pushing motion for the one-leg forward method is the same but it is more efficient. The reaction time is faster,” said Keng Liat.

Chii Lin is the only Olympic-bound swimmer given permission to represent Malaysia in the biennial Asian Schools championships.

The Malaysian Schools Sports Council have named a 16-member squad, comprising eight boys and eight girls for the four-day event.

Besides Chii Lin, the other girl swimmers are Korat SEA Games gold medallist Chui Lai Kwan, Chan Kah Yan, Cheng Karmen, Lai Wei Li, Erika Kong, Raja Azlina Izzah Raja Shahrom and Hii Siew Siew. Lai Kwan, Raja Azlina and Siew Siew were gold medallists in Sukma.

The boys' team comprise Foo Jian Beng, Kevin Lim, Teh Wei Pin, David Hoh, Esmonde Yap, Edmund Ooi, Eric Chang and Lau Zheng Fong.

Jian Beng will be the hot favourites for the 50m and 100m freestyle titles, especially after his performance in Sukma. He smashed both Allen Ong's national marks in the two events and was eventually voted the best male athlete.

At the last championships, Malaysia had a haul of 5-6-4 and Daniel Bego, who will also be making his Olympic debut in Beijing, contributed three gold medals.

The Star