Swimming: Did you know that Darren Lim, Lionel Khoo and Joseph Schooling are faster than the Americans?

By Erwin Wong/Red Sports

Quah Zheng Wen in action during the 2011 SEA Games. In 2010, when he was 14, Zheng Wen clocked 2:01.93 in the 200m butterfly, which places him second in the all-time top 100 of Americans aged 13–14 behind Michael Phelps (1:59.02). In the 400m IM, Zheng Wen set a time of 4:21.70 in 2012 when he was 16. The time puts him fourth behind all-time leader Phelps who clocked 4:15.20. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images for SSC)

Singapore’s swimmers have consistently finished as South-east Asia’s top nation. At the 2011 SEA Games, our contingent finished with 17 gold medals, well ahead of Thailand (8) and Indonesia (6). But did you know that the some of the current crop of swimmers also match up well with America’s best?

A check with the age-group timings compiled by USA Swimming (as of September 24, 2013) provides some fascinating comparisons.

A few of our swimmers stand out in particular.

Darren Lim, 14, is faster than the Americans in his age group. In the 50m freestyle (13–14 years), Darren’s timing of 22.73 seconds trumps the fastest American, Michael Andrew, who clocked 23.38s this year. In the 100m freestyle for the same age group, the fastest American is Noel Strauss, who clocked 51.59s in 1987. Darren’s timing is 51.25s.

Both of Darren’s timings in the 50m and 100m freestyle are Singapore national under-17 records which he set at the 9th Singapore National Swimming Championships in June 2013.

Another swimmer of note is Lionel Khoo, who is currently 18. The times he set earlier in his teens also top the American age-group rankings in two events.

In 2008, when he was 12, Lionel clocked 31.27s in the 50m breaststroke, faster than Matthew Limbacher’s 31.62s in the 11–12 age group.

Similarly, Lionel’s 100m breaststroke time of 1 minute 4.39 seconds set in 2010 when he was 14 is faster than Anthony Robinson’s 1:04.74 at the top of the rankings for Americans aged 13–14 years old.

Lionel currently holds six of the nine national breaststroke records.

Joseph Schooling, 18, set four national open records this year and three of them place him in the all-time top five of Americans aged 17–18 years of age. He is also currently the American national high school record holder in the 100 yards butterfly with a time of 46.5s.

In the 100m butterfly, Joseph’s time of 52.33s places him behind only the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps (51.10s), and ahead of former world record holder Ian Crocker.

Joseph’s 1:56.27 in the 200m butterfly and 1:59.99 in the 200m individual medley also rank him third and fifth in the all-time top 100 of Americans aged 17–18 years.

Quah Zheng Wen, who turns 17 this coming Sunday, September 29, also has three timings that places him in the top five against the Americans. In 2010, at the age of 14, Zheng Wen clocked 2:01.93 in the 200m butterfly, which places him second in the all-time top 100 of Americans aged 13–14 behind Michael Phelps (1:59.02).

Some of our female swimmers also stand out.

Tao Li, 23, is the only Singapore swimmer to date to qualify for an Olympic final when she did so in the women’s 100m butterfly at the 2008 Beijing Games. Her time of 57.54s in the semi-finals was a then Asian record and is also faster than Americans aged 17–18 years. American Felicia Lee tops the all-time list with a 58.41s.

Amanda Lim, Samantha Yeo and Quah Ting Wen, who have taken part in either the Olympics or World Championships, also swam times that put them in the top five of USA’s top-100 records.

Tan Jing-E, 12, and Dylan Koo, 14, are two names to watch for the future. Jing-E clocked 1:03.00 in the 100m butterfly, good enough for third place among American girls aged 11–12 years. Jing-E’s time is also just 0.17 seconds off Christel Bouvron’s national under-14 record.

For Dylan, his 100m butterfly timing of 1:00.00, clocked when he was 12, places him second among American boys aged 11–12 years. Dylan has since lowered his 100m butterfly time to 56.81s and that is good for ninth place among Americans aged 13–14 years. His 200m butterfly time of 2:05.28 places him even higher, at sixth.

The statistics show that our swimmers can be world beaters in their early teens, but we lose ground against others beyond the age of 17. Joseph Schooling and Tao Li are the only swimmers that currently have times that are in the top five among Americans aged 17–18 years. After the age of 18, the combination of National Service and further studies come into play.

Time can only tell what will become of Darren Lim and Quah Zheng Wen, who look to be the next best two in line after Tao Li and Joseph Schooling. From the looks of it, only Joseph seems to be in the best place right now to be up there with the world’s best.

Singapore swimmers whose times make the top five in USA Swimming's all-time age group rankings