SINGAPORE - Hosts Singapore have set a new record for total number of gold medals won at a SEA Games.
At 7.53pm, on Day 4 of the biennial multi-sport event, swimmer Quah Zheng Wen got Team Singapore's 51st gold medal of the 2015 SEA Games, surpassing the 50-gold mark achieved at the 1993 edition, the last time the meet was held in Singapore.
Quah's gold came in the men's 400m individual medley final and was the 14th title won by the hosts' swimmers at these Games.
Canoeing, with seven golds, and wushu and table tennis (six each) have contributed the most to Singapore's surprisingly good start. The rich supply of medals has seen the Republic top the medal table from the time the first medal of the Games was awarded.
With seven days to go, Singapore could even hit the 80-gold mark, as predicted by The Straits Times sports desk. Swimming, sailing, shooting and bowling are expected to contribute more to the tally.
Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong paid tribute to the home support for the strong showing on Tuesday.
He said: "We're very encouraged to see all the fan support, because that makes a lot of difference... you can see so many Singaporeans coming together to the venues cheering for Team Singapore, I think that gives added motivation to our athletes and I hope that will continue through the rest of the Games."
