Story by Les Tan and Erwin Wong/Red Sports. Photos by Lim Yong Teck and Clara Yuan/Red Sports

Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships

Zachary Ian Tan of Singapore is all smiles after winning the 400m freestyle event. (Photo 1 © Lim Yong Teck/Red Sports)

OCBC Aquatic Centre, Saturday, March 14, 2015 — Zachary Ian Tan, 11, continued where he left off yesterday, breaking five meet records on Day 2 of the Singapura Finance 46th National Age Group Swimming Championships. This added to the two records he set on Day 1 in the 200m breaststroke and 400m individual medley.

Zachary set two of the records in the morning. He clocked 2 minutes 21.47 seconds in the 200m butterfly to break Garret Tan’s old mark by 0.87s. He then rewrote Garret’s old mark of 2:26.48 in the 200m individual medley when he stopped the clock in 2:19.16.

The afternoon saw Zachary set three new marks in the 50m butterfly (28.31s), the 100m breaststroke (1:10.85) and 400m freestyle (4:32.79). He broke those three records by 0.78s, 3.79s, and 3.14s respectively.

“The 200 IM was the most fun,” said Zachary after the day’s events were over. “It was quite challenging, especially going from backstroke to breaststroke. My back is not as fast.”

His Swimfast Aquatic Club coach, Leonard Tan, said, “I was happy with all his performances. He had a tough start to the day with the 200m IM and fly. But he’s been very positive throughout with all his swims. He wanted to try (five events in a day) so we let him try.”

“It was a challenge to do so many events but it was a great learning experience,” Zachary agreed.

“I hope to make it to the SEA Games or Asian Games in future to represent Singapore,” added the student from Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) who turns 12 on June 14.

Zachary will have four more events on the final day of the meet. He is expected to compete in the 50m breaststroke, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly and the 200m freestyle.

Two other eight-year-old boys managed to set records on Day 2. Marcus Choo Zhengxiang clocked 1:38.99 to set a new meet record in the 100m breaststroke.

Ewan Lee Yi Wei Perdersen stopped the clock in 41.29s to set a new mark in the 50m backstroke.

The championships has now seen a total of 21 new records, bringing the total cash prize amount raised to $4,200. The cash rewards of $200 for a meet record and $500 for a national record, is a new initiative this year. The money will be given as a lump sum to the Singapore Swimming Association and disbursed to the record breakers to help defray training costs.

For more details of the event, go to: www.facebook.com/swimsnag
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