UP and coming Nee Gui Ping is eyeing a bigger accolade after bagging the Boys U-12 Most Promising Swimmer Award at the 2012 MSSM-Milo National Age Group Swimming Championship.
A STAR TO WATCH: Gui Ping on his way to setting a new record in the Boys C 50M butterfly at the Sarawak Age Group Swimming Championship.
The fast-improving 13-year-old butterfl y specialist from SMK Chung Hua, Sibu, is determined to take his performance up a few notches after winning the award.
“I didn’t expect to win but all the same, the award will spur me to work even harder for better results in the future,” the talented youngster said in an interview.
He is believed to be the only Sarawakian to have picked up the MSSM-Milo National Most Promising Swimmer Award in as many years – an outstanding feat for swimming here.
“This is good encouragement for me and I promise to train even harder to bring more glory to Sarawak and the country,” he said.
The award is in recognition of his outstanding showings at the 2012 MSSM-Milo National Age Group Swimming Championship held in Kota Kinabalu where he won four gold and fi ve silver.
It was his record-breaking swim in the Boys U-12 100M butterfl y that underscored his potential as a future force to be reckoned with in the event.
He clocked 1:05.02, slicing more than one second off the old record of 1:06.61, set by former Olympian Lim Keng Liat of Sabah in 1992. He also splashed into the record book with a time of 29.65 seconds in the 50M butterfl y.
OUTSTANDING: Gui Ping with his Most Promising Swimmer Award, trophies and medals.
Gui Ping has now set himself the modest target of representing Malaysia at the Southeast Asia (SEA) Age Group Swimming Championship 2013 in Myanmar in early June.
First, he must beat the qualifying time of 27 seconds in the 50M butterfl y – which he strongly believes is within reach.
However, he admitted that the Myanmar trip would depend on his results in the upcoming National Age Group Swimming Championship in Bukit Jalil to pick a team for the SEA Age Group Meet.
During the recent Sarawak Age Group Championship, Gui Ping rewrote the 50M butterfl y record with a time of 27.
6 seconds to eclipse the old time of 28.75 seconds set by national sensation Daniel Bego in 2002. His other two records at the Championship were 1:02.6 in the 100M Butterfl y and 2:20.84 in the 200M Butterfly.
In all, he amassed 13 gold, one silver and two bronze medals from 16 events to grab the Best Boy title in Category C.
“My pet event is the butterfl y and I will train hard to improve my speed and techniques for better results, especially in the short course 50M butterfl y,” he assured.
Despite his impressive string of achievements, Gui Ping vows to continue training hard to improve on his records.
“Next year, I will be promoted to Boys’ B and hopefully, I can go on to break some more records,” he said.
Asked what made him take up swimming, he replied without hesitation that it was the unfl inging support of his family members and relatives that inspired him to take the fi rst dip in the pool.
“My mother (Hii Pick Huong), cousins, nephews and several of my immediate relatives who are both former state and national swimmers, including Hii Siew Siew, have been encouraging and supporting me all the way,” he said, adding that the current coach of Sibu Swimming Association Hii Hieng Chiong is also a distant relative.
“As I come from a family of swimmers, it’s only natural for me to take up the sport – in my case, fi rst as a hobby and later as a competitive event.
” To become a top national swimmer, Gui Ping knows there is no such thing as “shortcut” and he must be ready to make sacrifi ces.
He is now training under Hieng Chiong at the Bukit Lima Swimming Pool fi ve times a week.
He does stamina training from 6am to 8am and puts in an additional half an hour of light workout from 6.30pm to 7pm.
Gui Ping admitted the tough training regime had at times made him think of giving up but when he started complaining, his parents would be there to reassure him with words of encouragement and motivation.
“Training to be good in any sport is never easy.
You need a lot of determination – and push from the people close to you.
Since my hard work is starting to pay off, I might as well continue doing what I am doing,” he said.
According to Hieng Chiong, it takes a long time to discover a naturally gifted swimmer like Gui Ping who has both the height and the build.
“A swimmer’s height plays an important role in determining his potential.
Gui Ping, standing 172cm tall and weighing 56kg, has the height, physique and speed.
“He’s slim, fast and very alert and all these attributes will advantageous to him when he learns to fully utilise them,” he explained.
Hieng Chiong believes Gui Ping can go the distance if he stays focused in the quest of swimming glory.
“Thus far, he has been showing a lot of potential and promise.
He is passionate about the sport and is determined to succeed.
Whether or not he will go far depends very much on his own ability and more importantly, his attitude.
“The day he came in, I noticed something about him that’s different from others.
He’s a rare gem and it takes a generation to uncover such a talent.
” However, Hieng Chiong cautioned Gui Ping should be brought along properly to prevent ‘burnout’ before he reached his full potential.
To do this, the coach is monitoring Gui Ping’s form in training and competition closely, always encouraging and innovating to keep his young charge motivated.
“That’s the most important part.
So long as he continues to have a passion for the sport, he will be able to take the grind that all champions have to go through,” Hieng Chiong said.
Gui Ping’s idol is Michael Phelps.
He learned about the great American swimming all-rounder during the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he ruled the pool with a record-breaking haul of eight gold medals from eight events.
” “I will draw inspiration from Michael Phelps to bring honour and glory to my country,” Gui Ping said.
Meanwhile, SMK Chung Hua principal Tham Yoh Ying reminded Gui Ping to stay focused, remain level-headed and develop his swimming talent to the full.
“You already have an idol (Phelps) – and now comes the hard part – helping the country win swimming honours – perhaps even an Olympic medal.”