Coming back like a tidal wave: Federal Territories’ Mohd Dhuha Zulfikry looking at the scoreboard after the boys’ 400m freestyle final. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
AFTER failing to win a single individual medal at the last Malaysia Games (Sukma), teenage swimmer Mohd Dhuha Zulfikry is coming back like a tidal wave – and closing in on seven gold medals.
The lanky Dhuha, who stands at 1.90m tall, has not only cut down the competition by sweeping the 100m, 200m and 1500m freestyle as well as the 4x100m freestyle gold medals but also done it in record-breaking fashion.
He set new Sukma records in the 200m and 1500m freestyle as well as the 4x100m freestyle.
Yesterday, the 16-year-old roared to yet another record-breaking victory in the boy’s 400m freestyle event for Federal Territories at the Pandelela Rinong Aquatic Centre yesterday, taking his Sukma gold medal tally to five.
He clocked 3:55.59s to smash the 12-year-old Sukma record of 3:58.65s set by Vernon Lee of Sarawak.
Selangor’s Henry Goh settled for silver in 4:06.40s with Samuel Lai taking the bronze for Penang in 4:06.88s.
Dhuha missed out on a chance to win gold No. 6 after FT’s boy’s 4x200m freestyle quartet settled for silver behind Selangor.
But he still has a good chance to claim two more gold medals, when he competes in the 800m freestyle and 4x100m medley events today.
“I did not win any individual medal in the last Sukma and I came to Kuching looking for redemption.
“Based on my training sets and my performances in the build up meets this year, I was confident I could win maybe four or five but certainly not as many as seven,” said Dhuha, who added that he was moved by the good support from the crowd.
For Dhuha, Kuching is like a second home as his parents are Sarawakians.
“I have relatives who came to watch me swim. My father is from Kuching and my mother is from Sibu.”
Andrew Goh agonisingly missed out on breaking a 25-year-old national record on the penultimate day of pool action.
The 20-year-old stormed to his fourth gold medal when he won the boy’s 200m breaststroke in 2:16.40s, just missing out on the national record of 2:15.62s held by former Asian Games bronze medallist Elvin Chia since 1999.
It was still a new Sukma record for Andrew, erasing the previous mark of 2:17.47s set by Selangor’s Ng Jing Fu in 2018.
Andrew had set national records en route to winning the boy’s 50m and 100m breaststroke races as well as the 4x100m freestyle mixed medley.
Bryan Leong achieved the butterfly double in winning the boy’s 100m distance race in a new Sukma record time of 53.22s.
Sarawak’s Kelly Teo also took her tally to five gold medals after winning the girls’ 400m freestyle. Boys
100m butterfly: 1. Bryan Leong (FT) 53.22 meet rec, 2. Jayden Goh (Sel) 55.68, 3. Elson Chun (Pen) 57.10.
200m breaststroke: 1. Andrew Goh (Sel) 2:16.40 meet rec, 2. Joseph Chan (Mel) 2:19.60, 3. Chan Yu Xiang (FT) 2:20.79.
400m freestyle: 1. Mohd Dhuha Zulfikry (FT) 3:55.59 meet rec, 2. Henry Goh (Sel) 4:06.40, 3. Samuel Lai (Pen) 4:06.88.
4x200m freestyle: 1. Selangor 7:37.51 meet rec, 2. Federal Territories 7:39.21, 3. Penang 7:52.03.
Girls
100m butterfly: 1. Lim Shun Qi (Sel) 1:01.84, 2. Morgan Eleven Teo (Sel) 1:04.07, 3. Charlotte Loke (FT) 1:04.43.
200m breaststroke: 1. Khoo Sue Enn (Sel) 2:37.93, 2. Alicia Li Ann Soosai (Joh) 2:39.38, 3. Low Ee Mang (Sel) 2:40.10.
400m freestyle: 1. Kelly Teo (Swk) 4:31.85, 2. Khew Zi Xian (Sel) 4:34.26, 3. Chu Xin Ying (Sab) 4:38.05.
4x200m freestyle: 1. Selangor 8:45.45, 2. Sarawak 8:52.19, 3. Penang 8:54.86.
