Tao Li gunning for nine gold medals
Singapore’s swimming sensation Tao Li’s SEA Games experience in Indonesia will be a grueling one with the 21-year-old competing in nine events.
Having competed in seven events in 2009, she told reporters at a press conference Sunday morning that competing in nine events will be a major challenge but is hoping to ace them all.
“I will try all nine events but I don’t know what others can do. I don’t know if Malaysia has got a dark horse for example. I cannot predict what other people can do but I will try my best to win all,” she said.
Taking part in nine events means she will have to swim 16 times at high intensity levels.
When asked if she is at her peak at the moment, the star said she’s been maintaining her fitness since July and has been training hard over the last six weeks.
Appearing slightly tired, Tao Li said her silver medal win in the 50m butterfly in the FINA World Cup on Saturday night bodes well for her SEA Games outing – pointing out that getting a medal is “much tougher at the World Cup rather than the SEA Games”.
Singapore’s head coach Ang Peng Siong was quick to point out that the bigger goal is the London Olympic Games and that the SEA Games is viewed as a form of preparation for the road to London.
“A lot of the training has been done in terms of preparing for the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games are the main objective. As for SEA Games, Tao Li is still training through. Her coach Ian Turner is determined that she trains through this,” he said.
Singapore’s other gold medal prospects in swimming are Rainer Ng who won silver at last year’s Youth Olympic Games 100m backstroke, and 50m freestyle specialist Amanda Lim.
They both said they are not being constrained by the pressure to deliver gold medals, and are focused on achieving the best results possible, as part of their preparations for the London Olympics.
But there’s a new kid on the block who may just emerge as the next SEA Games star. 16-year-old Joseph Schooling, a Singaporean currently in high school in the United States, is being touted as an emerging champion. Schooling came in fifth in the 100m butterfly final at the World Youth Championships this year.
“I’m more excited than nervous. The SEA Games is a prestigious Games to go to and it’s an honour for me to represent Singapore. I hope to hit or get close to the Olympic A cut in the 100 and 200 fly. That’s my biggest goal and after that get personal bests, and that will be in an indication that I’m going the right way,” said the former ACS boy.
The team will be flying off this Tuesday to Palembang, for the swimming events to be held from November 12 to 17.
Catch all the action from the SEA Games from November 11 - 22 in Jakarta and Palembang on Yahoo! Singapore.
