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Swimmer Teong Tzen Wei, 25, is the first Singaporean to make it to the World Swimming Championships 25m short course finals.

Smashed Asian record during heats

Teong topped the 2022 Fina World Swimming Championships men's 50m butterfly heats with 22.01 seconds at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on the morning of Dec. 13 (Singapore time).

In a sport where every fraction of a second counts, Teong's time was 0.18 seconds faster than the previous Asian record set by Japan's Takeshi Kawamoto in 2020, 22.19 seconds, making Teong the new record holder for the 50m butterfly in Asia.

He was also 0.06 seconds faster than the 50m butterfly world record holder Szebasztian Szabo from Hungary, who came close with 22.07 seconds.

During the afternoon semi-finals, Szabo picked up the pace and topped the pack, posting the fastest qualifying time of 21.90 seconds.

This was 0.11 seconds faster than Teong, who clocked 22.18 seconds, but still made it through to the finals.

Sole Asian finalist

He is not only the sole Asian to qualify for the 2022 Fina World Swimming Championships finals, but also the first Singaporean to qualify for the short course finals.

As compared to a regular 50m long pool, the short course pool spans 25m long, which means that swimmers have to swim laps in multiples of 25.

For Teong, who is competing in the men's 50m butterfly, he will have to swim two laps.

Finals on Dec. 14

During the finals on Dec. 14, Teong will be going up against swim giants like Szabo, as well as Olympic champion Chad le Clos from South Africa and veteran Brazilian sprinter Nicholas Santos, 42, the oldest swimmer to win a medal at the world championships.

Should he make it to the top three out of the final eight, he will be the first Singaporean to clinch a short course medal at the World Swimming Championships.

The men’s 50m butterfly final is scheduled to start at 6:20pm Singapore time.

Live results will be posted on the Fina website.

Top image from Facebook of Singapore Swimming Association and Teong Tzen Wei