Asian Para Games: National Swimmers Face Tough Challenge As China Dominates Pool

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s para swimming squad endured a challenging start to their Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games campaign today as regional powerhouse China underlined their supremacy in the pool with a series of commanding performances.

Competing at the Nagoya City General Gymnasium, Malaysia’s best result across five events came from Muhammad Zulkafli who finished fifth in the men’s 50 metre (m) freestyle S5 with a time of 34.45 seconds (s).

However, Muhammad remained 2.09s adrift of the podium with Japan’s Eigo Tanaka claiming bronze in 32.36s.

China’s Guo Jincheng secured gold in 30.66s while compatriot Wang Lichao took silver in 32.03s thus highlighting the formidable standard set by the Chinese swimmers.

In the women’s 100m freestyle S10, Malaysia’s Elysha Cheong finished sixth in one minute 14.76s with China’s Zhang Meng taking gold in 1:02.51s.

Japan’s Tae Kawabe clinched silver in 1:09.68s narrowly edging Indonesia’s Theradina Audria Lie who settled for bronze after clocking 1:09.69s.

Meanwhile, Rusdianto Rusmadi faced a stern test in the men’s 400m freestyle S8, finishing eighth in 5:34.89s, well behind China’s Li Ting who struck gold with a new Games record of 4:28.38s.

Li further stamped his authority on the competition by securing his second gold medal in the men’s 100m butterfly S8 with a time of 1:02.19s while Rusdianto finished seventh in 1:11.10s.

Uzbekistan’s Azizbek Boynazarov claimed silver in 1:03.69s while China’s Wu Hongliang completed the podium with bronze in 1:04.08s.

Malaysia suffered another setback in the women’s 100m butterfly S8 after Carmen Lim was disqualified with China’s Zhu Hui emerging victorious in 1:13.16s.

-- BERNAMA