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NEWS & EVENTS
Tan beats pain barrier to take gold
Wednesday, 16th December 2009

MALAYSIA'S Tan Song Hwa overcame a neck spasm which halted her pre-Games training to break a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games record in the women's hammer throw yesterday, while teammate Teoh Boon Lim added a second athletics gold in the 20-kilometre walk.

"I've progressed on my technique, and worked on my mental conditioning, overcoming nervousness and fear. It's thanks to my coach," Tan said after hurling the hammer 56.41 metres to break the 53.35m mark set at the 2005 Games.

Indonesia's Rose Herlinda took the silver with a 54.12m throw and the bronze went to Thailand's R Suraprasert with 48m.

The 23-year-old university student, coached by Frantisek Petrovic of Slovakia for the past two years, said she had been unable to train for two weeks prior to the Games because of the neck ailment.

"Never stop," Tan said of her ambition to pursue an improvement curve from fifth place at the last SEA Games. Her next goal is competing at the Commonwealth Games in India next year.

Courtesy from Brunei Times