KUALA LUMPUR: Heidi Gan won Malaysia a historic gold medal in the women’s 10km event of the Asian Open Water Swimming Championships at the Putrajaya Lake today.
The 28-year-old overtook Kazakhstan's Xeniya Romanchuk after the final loop to become the first Malaysian to win a title at the Asian meet.
Former national swimmer Kevin Yeap also finished on the podium with a bronze in the men’s 10km event.
Heidi finished the race, held in sweltering heat, in 2’17:00.773.
Romanchuk won silver with 2’21:04.210, while Thailand's Benjaporn Sriphanomthom took third in 2’22:50.736.
"Coach Matt Magee had a strategy for me to keep pace with the Japanese swimmers.
“They were the favourites, but the humidity affected them," said Heidi.
The win puts Heidi on a good stead to win the gold medal in the same event at the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in Aug.
RESULTS
Men’s
10km:
1. Vitaliy Khudyakov (Kaz) 2’05:26.623, 2. Cho Cheng-chi (Tai) 2’09:07.946, 3. Kevin Yeap (Mas) 2’10:57.570, 4. Welson Sim (Mas) 2’11:27.776 7. Wong Jun Bin (Mas) 2’14:41.830… 12 Vernon Lee (Mas) 2’20:33.283.
Women’s
10km: 1 Heidi Gan (Mas) 2’17:00.773, 2 Xeniya Romanchuk (Kaz) 2’21:04.210, 3 Benjaporn Sriphanomthom (Tha) 2’22:50.736... 10 Angela Chieng (Mas) 2’34:28.286.