Tan Yeow Chung wins SAFRA Quadthlon in dramatic finish

By Les Tan

East Coast Park, Sunday, October 11, 2009 – Singaporean Tan Yeow Chung finished first in a dramatic end to the SAFRA Keppel & Marine Quadthlon after Pedro Robeiro lost his bearings from dehydration 500m from the finish line.

Robeiro, who was on course to finish first in the race, was seen staggering in the finishing chute as Yeow Chung came across the finish line first in 1 hour 43 minutes and 42 seconds.

Robeiro still managed to stagger across the finish line in second place (1:44.10) before collapsing and had to be placed on a drip in the medical tent.

Frenchman Arnaud Selukov was third in 1:44.14.

539 quadrathletes swam 500m, inline skated for 12km, cycled 20km and ran 6km in the second edition of this race.

Selukov was the early leader, emerging first in the swim and keeping the lead in the blade and bike leg, but by then, Yeow Chung was second behind the Frenchman.

“I was trying to catch up but I couldn’t really open up because my muscles ached [from blading]. So I held my pace, waiting for the run,” said Yeow Chung, who finished third in last year’s race.

The race turned during the two-lap run leg for Yeow Chung, who started the 6km in third place.

“During the second leg, I saw the second runner (Selukov) slowing down and then he ran the wrong route. I overtook him and I opened up and he couldn’t keep my pace,” said Yeow Chung.

“I was looking for the first guy (Ribeiro). He was like [swaying] left and right in the last 500m and a marshal said ‘Go for it!’ I opened up and overtook him. I respect him. His blade was fast, his bike was fast, his run was good.”

Third-place finisher Selukov had a bit of an adventure during the blade segment when he missed a sharp right turn and went past the road cones and through a restaurant sited next to the route. He then took a wrong turn on the run route after uncertain marshalling left him confused and he was eventually overtaken by Yeow Chung.

RESULTS

Men's Open
Position Name Timing
1st Tan Yeow Chung 1:43:42
2nd Pedro Rebeiro 1:44:10
3rd Arnaud Selukov 1:44:14

Women's Open
Position Name Timing
1st Teresa Marie Soh 1:58:44
2nd Alice Braesch 2:15:52
3rd Noelia Mayorgas 2:21:00

Men's Open Relay
Position Team Name Timing
1st Toshiba Synergy Translink 1:33:57
2nd Punggol Handsome 4 1:46:17
3rd 4IN1 1:46:46

Women's Open Relay
Position Team Name Timing
1st Not Me 2:03:38
2nd T.E.A.M Ole! 2:06:07
3rd Team David 2:07:15

Youth Relay
Position Team Name Timing
1st Huat Ar 2:03:24
2nd SBSO Awesome Republic 2:03:51
3rd Zkm/h 2:06:13