SINGAPORE — Despite rewriting his national record yesterday, pole vaulter Sean Lim knows he still has some way to go if he is to become a medal contender at next year’s South-east Asian (SEA) Games.

The 20-year-old Singaporean set the new national benchmark of 4.90m as he finished second at the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA) Track and Field Series 2 championship at the Bukit Gombak Stadium yesterday to break the previous mark of 4.83m, which he set in October last year.

Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines also posted a height of 4.90m but won on countback, with Singapore’s Dewey Ng third (4.20m).

Lim’s record, which is subject to official ratification by the SAA, was another step towards next year’s SEA Games in Singapore, where he must crack the five-metre mark to be in medal contention.

“As I crossed on the third attempt, I put all my effort into the jump. It was definitely exciting to see the improvement,” he said.

“I started jumping at 4.90m so that was my opening height, (but) the next three attempts at 5.01m were unsuccessful. I was determined to focus and hype myself up as I knew 4.90m wasn’t the goal set by my coach and myself.”

But with Thailand’s Kreeta Sintawacheewa winning last year’s SEA Games title with a 5.15m effort, and Malaysia’s Iskandar Alwi (5.10m) and Sompong Saombankuay of Thailand (5.00m) taking silver and bronze respectively, Lim’s record was put into perspective.

“It shows I really need to improve as 4.90m isn’t high enough to clinch a medal at the SEA Games based on past results,” he said. “Right now, it’s really just to follow my coach’s (David Yeo) training plan for me and make sure I cross the 5m (mark) soon.”

Lim’s national team-mate Chan Sheng Yao had bettered his then-national record of 4.81m with a 4.82m effort in April last year.

But Lim, who also aims to compete at this year’s Asian Games in Incheon, wrested it back at last October’s Singapore U-23 Open Track and Field Championships.

“I look forward to anyone surpassing me as this would mean Singapore’s standard in pole vaulting is rising,” he said. “So although it was slightly disappointing (for me), Sheng Yao breaking the record was a good thing!” TAN YO-HINN