The 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games wrapped up last week in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where the nation of Singapore dominated the pool swimming competition.
Singapore reaped a total of 44 pieces of hardware, including 21 golds, 13 silvers and 10 bronze medals to break their medal haul record set last year in Vietnam.
30-year-old Quah Ting Wen was awarded Top Athlete of the Games, receiving recognition from Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minster Tea Banh during Closing Ceremony which took place yesterday, May 17th.
Quah was on fire during the Games, ultimately coming away with six gold medals and two silvers to her credit. The woman who is sister to fellow aquatic athletes Quah Zheng Wen and Quah Jing Wen capped off her successful campaign by winning her fifth straight SEA Games gold in the women’s 100m freestyle (55.83).
She was also a member of the women’s 4x100m free relay whose top prize represented Singapore’s 1,000th SEA Games gold.
Quah said of her top athlete award, “I am extremely honoured and proud to receive this award. I am thankful for the opportunity to have done well for Singapore and my sport.
“My brother received the award in 2019 and my sister was the most bemedalled athlete at the Hanoi SEA Games last year, so it feels like a nice way to close the circle.” (CNA.com)
Cambodia marked Quah’s 9th SEA Games appearance and the former UCLA swimmer has earned 60 Games medals over the course of her career.