Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee claims Asian Games silver in 400m freestyle, registers another national record

TOKYO: Speaking to reporters minutes after she clinched a silver in the women's 400m freestyle final on Tuesday (Sep 22), reality still had not quite set in for Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee.

"I don't think being on the podium in the 400m was really part of my expectations in this meet. If anything, I was really gunning for the 1,500m, so that was the main event," said Gan, who qualified for Tuesday's final in fifth place.

"Just carrying the momentum through the rest of the meet, I was really excited, really pumped up. Before I came into today's finals, although I was seeded fifth, I told myself: 'If I have a lane, I have a chance.'

"Anything could happen in this race, and then I just went for it. From the start I just tried to keep up, and I think that strategy paid off in the end."

At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Gan timed 4:06.81, to smash her national mark of 4:09.34 clocked at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games earlier this year. China'a Li Bingjie won gold (4:02.71), while Japan's Ichika Kajimoto took bronze (4:07.45).

"That really surpassed my own expectations. Just really happy," said Gan. "I struggle to describe how I'm feeling."

NOT GOING "TOO CRAZY"

This is Gan's second silver of the meet, and third national record.

Earlier in the Games, the 23-year-old took her first Asiad medal, a silver in the 1,500m freestyle, rewriting her previous national mark. Gan's time of 8:29.56 for the first 800m of the race also broke the national record for the 800m freestyle.

Gan is slated to compete in the 800m freestyle later in the Games, and said she will "celebrate when the meet is over".

"I know there's half a meet left, so I need to really manage my emotions ... I don't want to go crazy, over-celebrate and neglect my other races," she said.

"Just focusing on the next few events is my top priority."

In the day's morning session, Gan’s compatriot Russel Pang set a new national record in the men's 1,500m freestyle.

The Asian Games debutant clocked a time of 15:22.16 en route to finishing second in the event's B final. Pang's previous national record of 15:25.58 was set at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July.