Brunei national swimmer Muhammad Isa bin Ahmad with national coach Wu Na. PHOTO: BASA
Brunei Darussalam swimmer Muhammad Isa bin Ahmad made history after setting a new national record in the men’s 100m breaststroke event (short course) with a time of 1:04.09s at the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates yesterday.
The national swimmer bettered his own national record of 1:04.45s, which he clocked during the previous edition of the short-course world meet in Hangzhou, China in 2018.
Muhammad Isa finished fifth in his heats and 48th overall out of 57 swimmers who completed the four-lap race.
The 23-year-old Olympian will have another opportunity of adding one more personal best and national record in consecutive fashion in the men’s 50m breaststroke event on December 20.
The country will turn their interest next to his compatriot Christian Nikles, who will be taking to the pool in the men’s 50m freestyle event tomorrow.
The national swimmer will then return to action in the men’s 100m freestyle two days later, less than an hour before Muhammad Isa is scheduled to compete.
In the build-up to the prestigious six-day tournament, the duo- accompanied by national coach Wu Na – underwent a final training phase in Dubai earlier this month.
Dutch swimmer Arno Kamminga is in contention for gold in the men’s 100m breaststroke after becoming the fastest qualifier in the heats round with a time of 56.19s.
Other notable names that are among the contenders include Belarus’s Ilya Shymanovich, Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi and China’s Yan Zibei.
Organised by the International Swimming Federation (FINA), the six-day swimming spectacle features the world’s best swimmers and talented swimmers from the hosts United Arab Emirates.
