Singapore's Gan Ching Hwee clinches Asian Games silver in 400m freestyle, registers another national record

TOKYO: Singapore’s Gan Ching Hwee clinched silver and clocked a new national record in the women’s 400m freestyle final on Tuesday (Sep 22).

At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Gan timed 4:06.81, to re-write her national mark of 4:09.34 clocked at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games earlier this year. China'a Li Bingjie won gold.

Gan qualified for the final in fifth spot, clocking a time of 4:13.05 in the heats.

Earlier in the Games, the 23-year-old took her first Asiad medal, a silver in the 1,500m freestyle, rewriting her previous national mark. Gan's time of 8:29.56 for the first 800m of the race also broke the national record for the 800m freestyle.

In the day’s morning session, Gan’s compatriot Russel Pang set a new national record in the 1500m freestyle.

The Asian Games debutant clocked a time of 15:22.16 en route to finishing second in the 1,500m freestyle B final. Pang's previous national record of 15:25.58 was set at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July.