One shattered a meet record. The other shattered expectations. Jayden Tan Khai Xin books his ticket to the World Championships, while 15-year-old Shannon Tan Yan Qing qualifies for her first SEA Games
The 400m Individual Medley is a ruthless event — it doesn’t favor brilliance in one stroke; it demands balance, endurance, and the ability to adapt across all four strokes. On Day 2 of the Malaysia Open Swimming Championships 2025, two swimmers rose to the occasion with confidence and composure.
Jayden Tan, representing Kuala Lumpur, kept his race tight and technical, breaking the meet record in the men’s 400m IM with a performance built on smart pacing and strong finishes. From his steady butterfly to a backstroke that kept him in clear water, the 21-year-old built his race with precision. It was in the breaststroke that he widened the gap, powering through to finish in 4:26.44 — a new meet record, knocking almost two seconds off the previous mark (4:28.34) held by Sebastian Soon since 2019 and punch his ticket to both the World Championships and SEA Games.
Jayden opened with a controlled 28.33 fly split and turned at 1:01.05 — not leading outright, but exactly where he wanted to be.
His backstroke was measured and efficient (1:36.77 at the 150m mark), and by the breaststroke, the gears shifted.
He clocked 2:49.08 at the 250m — a critical turning point, where he moved decisively ahead of Hong Kong’s Wang Yi Shun, who had been his closest rival up to that point. By 300m (3:26.66), the gap had widened, and Jayden never looked back. He closed in 59.78 for the final 100m freestyle — controlled and precise.
Jayden Tan split comparison with Sebastian Soon’s 2019 Meet record
“I’ve done all the preparation,” Jayden said. “Once the race starts, it becomes a mental game — you just replay what you’ve done in training: the turns, the strokes, the control.”
When asked to rate his swim, he gave it an 8 or 9 out of 10. “There’s no such thing as a perfect race,” he added. “There’s always something you can fix — and that’s what keeps you going.”
He may not have broken his own national record, but Jayden left the deck with exactly what he needed: momentum, and another step toward the Worlds and SEA Games.
Hong Kong’s Wang Yi Shun was a clear second in 4:29.56, while Selangor’s Liew Zeng Wye rounded out the podium in 4:46.15 for bronze.
Shannon Tan — A Debut Years in the Making
She was the youngest swimmer on the deck — and the least expected to shake up the podium. But 15-year-old Shannon Tan proved that composure and race smarts can go a long way, even against international names like Hong Kong’s Lam Hoi Kiu and 6th time gold medalist SUKMA 2024 from Sarawak, Kelly Teo.
In the women’s 400m IM, Shannon held her own in a challenging field. She bided her time in the early laps before making her move in the final legs, snatching silver — and, with it, her dream debut qualification for the SEA Games.
“I was a little surprised,” she admitted post-race. “Then came the happiness. I’ve worked so hard leading up to this — to touch the wall and see silver reminded me it was all worth it.”
The young swimmer surged ahead at Turn 5 and never looked back. A confident butterfly gave her rhythm she needed at the start. “It feels the most natural for me. But I didn’t want to overdo it and pay for it later. So, I kept reminding myself: stay calm, stay long, stay in control.”
A strong backstroke leg brought her right up with the front pack. “That backstroke gave me confidence,” she said. “I saw I was still with them, and I reminded myself to stay patient and hold my technique — especially going into breaststroke.”
Despite breaststroke being a work in progress, Shannon held her form. “Thanks to the extra technical sessions with my coach, I was able to manage it better this time. There’s still more I can do, but it’s coming together.”
Her strategy was simple but smart: stay patient and manage the race, stroke by stroke. “Mentally, I told myself not to go out too fast. Just stay focused — lap by lap. Physically, we’ve worked a lot on building endurance for all four strokes, especially breaststroke. That’s still my weakest, but we’ve made progress.”
She closed the race with a well-paced freestyle, strong enough to hold off Teo, who settled for bronze in 5:14.34. Gold went to Hong Kong’s Lam Hoi Kiu in 5:00.67.
“When I jumped in the water, age didn’t matter,” Shannon said. “It was never about who’s in the next lane. It’s about racing the best I can and focusing on my own performance.”
It was a mature swim — and a meaningful one. Shannon may have just stepped onto the senior stage, but the way she handled pressure, stayed composed, and executed her race plan showed the mark of an athlete already tuned in to what it takes at the next level.
The night ended on a high for Selangor, whose relay squads swept both the men’s and women’s 4x100m freestyle events, to cap off a successful night.
FINALS RECAP- WHO MADE A SPLASH
Women’s 50m Backstroke
It was a tight sprint in the single-lap dash, but Flairence Candrea W from Indonesia edged out the rest of the field with a swift breakout and clean finish to claim gold in 29.63. Chong Xin Lin from Kuala Lumpur who had earlier made headlines with her silver in the 100m back, clocked 30.07 to finish second, while Adelia Chantika Aulia of Indonesia took third in 30.64.
🥇 Flairence Candrea W (INA) – 29.63
🥈 Chong Xin Lin (KUALA LUMPUR) – 30.07
🥉 Adelia Chantika Aulia (INA) – 30.64
Men’s 50m Backstroke
A new national record for Bangladesh came courtesy of Samuel Rafi, who stormed to the wall in 26.83 seconds slicing nearly half a second off his previous best and securing the gold medal. Just 0.12 seconds behind, Selangor’s Teoh Kar Chuan clocked 26.95 to take silver in a nail-biting finish. Sarawak’s Jeff Chua Yu Yang was right on his heels with a 26.96, settling for bronze by a whisker.
🥇 Samuel Rafi (BGD) – 26.83
🥈 Teoh Kar Chuan (SELANGOR) – 26.95
🥉 Jeff Chua Yu Yang (SARAWAK) – 26.96
Women’s 200m Freestyle
Singapore’s Nicholle Toh proved untouchable in the women’s 200m freestyle final, pulling away decisively in the last 50 meters to touch in 2:06.09 for the gold medal. While off her personal best, the 24-year-old remained composed and unchallenged down the stretch, adding another victory to her résumé.
Indonesia’s Serenna Karmelita Muslim clocked 2:08.59 to earn silver, fending off a late push from Malacca’s Lynna Yeow Yi Jing, who rounded out the podium in 2:09.85.
🥇 Nicholle Toh (SGP) – 2:06.09
🥈 Serenna Karmelita Muslim (INA) – 2:08.59
🥉 Lynna Yeow Yi Jing (MALACCA) – 2:09.85
Men’s 200m Freestyle
Khiew Hoe Yean of Kuala Lumpur made it three-for-three, cruising to gold in his signature 200m freestyle with a commanding performance. After spending much of last season building endurance for the gruelling Olympic cycle and focusing on longer races, the 23-year-old swimmer returned to his bread-and-butter event with purpose. From the opening dive, Hoe Yean set the pace and rhythm, refusing to let go of the lead. He stopped the clock at 1:48.46 — comfortably inside the SEA Games A cut and fast enough to secure a ticket to the World Championships.
“This whole meet, I just wanted to swim a good 200. I haven’t done that in a while,” he shared after the race. “I think this was a step in the right direction.”
Thailand’s Surasit Thongdaeng put up a fight but settled for silver in 1:49.25, while KL teammate Muhammad Dhuha Zulfikry grabbed bronze with 1:50.28.
🥇 Khiew Hoe Yean (KUALA LUMPUR) – 1:48.46
🥈 Surasit Thongdaeng (THA) – 1:49.25
🥉 Muhammad Dhuha Zulfikry (KUALA LUMPUR) – 1:50.28
Women’s 100m Breaststroke
Man Wui Ku led a 1–2 finish for Hong Kong, surging ahead on the back half of the race to stop the clock at 1:09.56. She held her nerve after turning in second, powering home in the final 25 meters to edge out teammate Cheung Wing Yi, who finished in 1:10.25. It was Ku’s closing speed that made the difference, building from a strong underwater and maintaining her stroke under pressure.
Selangor’s Phee Jing En, one of the country’s most experienced breaststroker and a SEA Games mainstay, came through for bronze in 1:11.29 — earning a SEA Games B qualifying time in the process.
🥇 Man Wui Ku (HK) – 1:09.56
🥈 Cheung Wing Yi, Claire (HK) – 1:10.25
🥉 Phee Jing En (SELANGOR) – 1:11.29
Men’s 100m Breaststroke
India’s Likith Selvaraj Prema stole the spotlight in the men’s 100m breaststroke final at powering home in 1:02.32 to take gold in a tightly contested field. It was a confident swim from the 27-year-old, who managed his race well — staying in striking distance through the first 50 before pulling ahead over the final stretch.
Hong Kong’s Tsui Yik Ki, who led early with a sharp opening burst, held on for silver in 1:02.48. He opened in a sub-30 split but couldn’t quite match Likith’s closing speed over the last 25 meters. Still, the time marks one of his fastest this season and reflects solid momentum heading into the summer.
Kuala Lumpur’s Cham Yu Xiang, just 19, delivered a breakout performance to grab bronze in 1:03.63 — and more importantly, secured a World Junior A cut. The result not only put him on the podium but also stamped his name among the country’s rising teenage prospects in men’s breaststroke.
🥇 Likith Selvaraj Prema (IND) – 1:02.32
🥈 Tsui Yik Ki (HK) – 1:02.48
🥉 Cham Yu Xiang (KUALA LUMPUR) – 1:03.29
Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay
The quartet of Morgan Eleven Teo, Kaelyn Chee, Shannon Tan, and Khew Zi Xian combined for a winning time of 4:00.63, pulling ahead in the final leg to hold off a determined WP Kuala Lumpur team and close out the session with a statement win.
Selangor had laid the groundwork early, with Morgan Teo (59.82) opening just under the one-minute mark to get the team out strong. From there, Kaelyn maintained the team’s position with a composed middle leg, refusing to be rattled by the early surges from Kuala Lumpur and Penang swimmers.
The third leg saw 15-year-old Shannon Tan step up in a big way. Still buzzing from her breakthrough silver in the 400 IM, Shannon carried that energy into the relay — holding strong against more experienced swimmers and keeping Selangor firmly in front.
When Khew Zi Xian dove in for the anchor, Selangor had a comfortable but not unshakable lead — and she did exactly what was needed to bring it home with confidence.
WP Kuala Lumpur gave chase throughout, showing impressive consistency across their four swimmers, but ultimately had to settle for silver in 4:05.44. Penang put up a solid fight and rounded out the podium with 4:06.84, fending off Sabah’s late push.
🥇 SELANGOR – 4:00.63
🥈 WP KUALA LUMPUR – 4:05.44
🥉 HONG KONG – 4:06.84
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For full result from Day 2 of MILO/MAS Malaysia Open Swimming Championships: