Silver lining for Singapore para-swimmer Toh Wei Soong at Commonwealth Games
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Singapore’s Toh Wei Soong celebrating his 50m freestyle S7 silver medal with winner Christian Sadie of South Africa and England’s bronze medallist Bruce Dee at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow on July 29.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Para-swimmer Toh Wei Soong won silver in the men’s 50m freestyle S7 at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, marking his third Commonwealth Games medal.
- Sixteen-year-old Russel Pang set a new national record in the men’s 1,500m freestyle, finishing fifth in the final.
- Teenage gymnast Amanda Yap earned Singapore’s first medal at the Games with a silver in the balance beam event.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – The Commonwealth Games have proven to be a happy hunting ground for para-swimmer Toh Wei Soong, who clinched Singapore’s second medal in the Glasgow event with a silver in the men’s 50m freestyle S7 on July 29.
At the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the 27-year-old clocked 29.36 seconds to finish behind winner Christian Sadie of South Africa (28.06sec). England’s Bruce Dee claimed the bronze with 31.33sec.
The Singaporean had qualified second-fastest in the heats with a time of 29.44sec, behind Sadie’s Games record time of 28.45sec, while Dee was third in 31.50sec.
“I tried to go harder than in the morning, and managed to do so by a little bit,” said Toh after completing his only event in Glasgow.
“It’s been a great honour to be part of these Commonwealth Games; this is my third one and just racing with so many guys like Christian, whom I’ve grown up with in this sport, is a great privilege.”
It was Toh’s third Commonwealth Games medal and his second silver, having finished second in the same event at the 2022 edition in Birmingham.
In 2018, he claimed Singapore’s first medal in a para sports event at the quadrennial Games with a bronze on the Gold Coast.
He added: “This may be my last one and it’s a good way to end the story.
“The Commonwealth Games is always one of my favourite major Games because it’s a combined Games of both able-bodied and para contingents and that’s a special experience I’ve never had anywhere else.”
Later in the evening, 16-year-old Russel Pang improved on his 15min 28.46sec national record in the men’s 1,500m freestyle with a swim of 15:25.58 to finish fifth in the final.
Australia’s Sam Short cruised to the gold in 14:42.11, ahead of Daniel Wiffen of Northern Ireland (14:44.70). Australian Benjamin Goedemans rounded off the podium with 14:49.50.
Teenage gymnast Amanda Yap had clinched Singapore’s first medal at these Games with a silver in the balance beam on July 28.
The 16-year-old debutante’s feat in Scotland made her only the fourth Singaporean gymnast to win a medal at the quadrennial event.
Lim Heem Wei and David-Jonathan Chan were the first to do so, claiming the women’s balance beam silver and men’s pommel horse bronze respectively at the 2010 Games in India.
Singapore’s most recent gymnastics medal at the meet was at the 2014 edition in Glasgow, where Hoe Wah Toon captured a bronze in the men’s vault.
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