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SEA Games: Singapore's synchronised swimming team take gold in team free event

REPORTING FROM KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

Singapore retained its position as top Southeast Asian nation in synchronized swimming when it beat Malaysia in the team free event on the final day of the synchronised swimming competition on Sunday (20 Aug).

The team posted a score of 75.1333, almost two points ahead of close rival Malaysia, who posted a score of 73.0667.

Celebrations began in the Singapore camp the moment Malaysia’s score was flashed on the board. Debutant synchronised swimmer Ariel Sng, 16, said that the team “broke down” when they found out they had won the gold.

For team captain Debbie Soh, 19, the gold took some of the sting off coming in second to Malaysia in the duet free routine earlier in the day. Soh said, “I feel like I’ve done my best for everything. If the results don’t show it then it shows that we have to keep working harder.”

She added, “Our goal has always been to maintain the top Southeast Asian country ever since the last Games. We have to show that it’s not a one-time thing – that it’s something we can maintain. That was something we were aiming for every time we were training.”

The synchronized swimming team delivered three golds (team free, duet technical and solo free), two silvers (duet free, solo technical) and two bronzes (solo free, solo technical) in the competition.

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