Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 12, 2023: Singapore swimming is in good shape at the start of a busy year – and with a home World Aquatics Championships two years down the line.
The swimming competition of the 32nd SEA Games came to an end on Thursday, May 11 at the Morodok Techo National Aquatics Centre and Singapore finished with 47 medals – the largest ever overseas medal haul by Singapore’s swimmers.
Singapore won 22 gold, 15 silver and 10 bronze, set 19 personal best times and broke six SEA Games records along the way.
There were some notable individual marks amidst the golden run: Quah Ting Wen reached a milestone 60 career SEA Games medals and Jonathan Tan booked his ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games - the first new Singaporean to qualify for the Olympic Games in the pool since Joseph Schooling and Quah Zheng Wen in 2012. Schooling would go on to win 100m butterfly gold at Rio 2016 – the greatest performance in Singapore’s sports history.
“Above and beyond these fantastic results, I am happy to see our young swimmers step up for Singapore,” said Mark Chay, President of the Singapore Swimming Association.
“A big thank you to our partners, parents, coaches, administrators and volunteers who showed up in force to cheer Team Singapore on.
“It’s still early in the season with the Fukuoka World Championships in July 2023, Hangzhou Asian Games in September 2023 and Doha World Championships in February 2024. Looking to more amazing swims as we dive deeper into the season.”
Quah Ting Wen, 30, will take home six gold and two silver medals, putting her in the running for best athlete of Cambodia 2023.
Earlier this year, Singapore was awarded the World Aquatics Championships 2025 which brings together the six aquatic sports of swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming and high diving.
Over 2,500 athletes are expected to participate in the World Aquatics Championships 2025, representing World Aquatics’ 209 national member federations.