Singapore swim star Quah Zheng Wen looks even more promising after weights programme
Teenager seems to have benefited from weights programme
He did not taper for the meet, and had already competed in the men's 200m individual medley at the OCBC Aquatic Centre last night.
On top of that, Quah Zheng Wen had been on a rigorous programme in the weights room since January, the first time the lanky swimmer has undergone such a systematic strength training regimen.
But the 19-year-old still clocked 52.86sec to win the men's 100m butterfly on the fourth day of the Singapura Finance 47th Singapore National Age-Group Swimming Championships.
His time was within touching distance of his personal best of 52.25, which he clocked in the Dubai leg of the Fina World Cup series last year to make the "A" cut for August's Rio Olympics.
The National Training Centre swimming star said: "It's a bit too early to tell if the weight training has worked, especially with my illnesses (recently), and I guess there hadn't been any opportunity to really gauge how my performance has changed with it.
"But I hope I can cut more time off my events, my swim tonight isn't too far off from my best.
"Looking at my form now I could cut down a little more, and I am gunning for a sub-52 timing in my 100 fly."
While happy with Quah's time last night, national coach Sergio Lopez highlighted the need to balance the swimmer's weights training and fatigue ahead of the Olympics.
He said: "After this meet we will start him on another weights programme and see how he reacts to it... but it's not something very important to me now.
"He is one of the most powerful swimmers in the world for his body weight... and I wouldn't want to jeopardise that."
"Yes, in the long term it (weights training) will help him increase power, but to win a medal at this Olympics you'd probably need to swim 50.4 (in the 100 fly), and do I have enough time to put enough power in him to go 50.4?"
The American pointed out that Quah will enter National Service after the Rio Olympics, and the coach will start him on a "big weights programme" after that, as the duo work towards Tokyo 2020.
Meanwhile, Quah's elder sister Ting Wen bettered her Olympic "B" time in the women's 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly last night, but missed out on the "A" cuts - which guarantees Olympic berths - in both races.
She clocked 25.54 in the 50m freestyle and 59.38 in the 100m butterfly, and is ranked 109th and 75th in the world, respectively, in the Olympic qualifying period.
The 23-year-old said: "It's mixed feelings I guess - it's nice to have best times, but this year is an Olympic year, and you're also trying to make the cut for the Games.
"I am satisfied with the best times, but I also know what I have to work on."
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