SINGAPORE — When Joseph Schooling effortlessly clocked a personal best to finish first in his 100m freestyle heats this morning (June 7), there was never doubt that he would stand the tallest on the podium later in the evening. Rather, the burning question after witnessing that prelude to the finals was just how many records he would break. And rewrite new ones he did.  

Swimming in his first individual freestyle event at the SEA Games today, the 19-year-old set a new Games and national record of 48.58 seconds in the finals, erasing defending champion Indonesian Triady Fauzi’s SEA Games record time of 49.99 set in the 2013 edition. Schooling’s time in the event was the 15th fastest set in the world this year, and it was also under the 2016 Olympics “A” qualifying mark of 48.99.

Singapore’s Quah Zheng Wen took silver with a time of 49.91 while Vietnamese Hoang Quy Phuoc clinched the bronze (50.60). Triady did not make the podium as he came in fourth (50.67). 

Men's 100m freestyle final:

Entered for nine events at this year’s SEA Games, Schooling later bagged a second gold medal in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final. Leading off the race, Schooling gave his team-mates Danny Yeo, Pang Sheng Jun and Quah almost a two body-length lead with his split time of 1 min 47.79s as the Singaporeans won with a time of 7:18.14 minutes. Malaysia’s relay team came in second in a distant 7:30.13 while Indonesia took third place (7:35.63). 

“It is always great to have a good first day at the swimming competition and start it off with a big bang,” said Schooling. 

“I wanted to get two gold and two national records so I am glad I pulled it off. I don’t really practise much in the freestyle, so I just winged it. Seven more events (in this SEA Games) is a lot, and a lot of things can happen, so I just take it one day at a time … I am confident with what I can do.” 

Eddie Reese, Schooling’s coach at the University of Texas in Austin, who is in town to watch Schooling race at the SEA Games before he leaves on Wednesday, reiterated that the Singaporean has not reached his best yet. 

“I’ve said before he is talented, and not nearing his best,” said Reese. “His 100m freestyle swim today was better than what (Singapore national head coach) Sergio (Lopez) and I expected. Breaking 49 seconds is unexpected, but going 48 is just beyond believable. His best events are the butterfly, so it is exciting to see how he fares.” 

Schooling will compete in the men’s 200m butterfly and 50m freestyle tomorrow. 

Over at the women’s competition, Singapore’s Tao Li touched home first in 26.58 in the 50m butterfly final, beating her own SEA Games mark set in the last edition by 0.01. National team-mate Quah Ting Wen took silver in 27.02, while the Philippines’ Jasmine Alkhaldi took bronze (27.47). 

Women's 50m butterfly final:

Tao Li, 25, will compete in the 50m backstroke tomorrow, and she will be watching out for Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Anh Vien who has clinched four gold medals, all in SEA Games record times, at the end of today’s swimming action. 

“I hope she can be the best swimmer in the world, and I am training her up to be one,” said Vietnam’s swimming head coach Dang Anh Tuan. “She swims in every style, but mostly 100m and 200m. So I am training her to be a sprinter too and be good in the 50m events.”

Singapore wrapped up Day Two of the swimming competitions with another bronze medal via Samantha Yeo in the women’s 200m individual medley, taking the combined medal haul for swimming so far to five gold, three silver and three bronze.