Goh fails in bid for gold

SINGAPORE'S top disabled swimmer, Theresa Goh, finished a disappointing fourth in her pet 100m breaststroke (SB4 category) event last night.

Goh, 21, had led the pack of eight swimmers in the first 50m, raising hopes of the Republic's first Paralympic gold medal.

But it was not to be. She fell behind in the tight race to touch home in 2:01.99, just behind third-placed Maria Teresa Perales of Spain, 32, who clocked 2:01.25.

Czech swimmer Bela Hlavackova, 32, took the gold in 1:55.55 and Israeli Inbal Pezaro, 21, bagged the silver in 1:57.75.

Goh, the world record-holder in the 50m and 200m breaststroke (SB4) - neither of which are being held here - knew that last night's race was her best shot at a medal.

Hopes were high as she had qualified for the race with the fastest time of 1:58.14 set last year - and finished the morning's heats in second place.

Before the final, her parents Bernard, 51, and Rose, 50, who queued from before 2pm for good seats in the stands, said they were worried that public expectations for Goh to win would get to her.

As their daughter headed into the final 25m, they shouted 'Go Theresa, go! Pull!'

At the finish, Rose sobbed into her husband's arms, saying: 'I'm not disappointed with her, I am just concerned about how she is feeling now. She has done her best. I'm sure she went all out.'

Goh said she felt confident going into the race but 'just couldn't hold on for the second 50 metres'.

The bad news started sinking in when she was wheeled away from the pool, said Goh, who is paralysed from the waist down.

'That's when you realise you can't change anything and you only get one chance.'

To her, not clocking a good time was more disappointing than not winning. Still, the spunky young woman is already looking to the 2012 London Games.

She said: 'In another four years, another round. In Athens, I was fifth and, now, I'm fourth. The next time, hopefully, I won't be third but higher up.'

Said Goh's coach, former Olympic swimmer Ang Peng Siong: 'I hope she will continue the fight. She can do it.'

Said Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Vivian Balakrishnan: 'We're hoping Theresa and Pin Xiu can achieve their dreams as well. But, in sport, there are no guarantees.'

He had watched the race from the stands with Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck.

Goh was also fourth in the 200m free (S5) on Tuesday and sixth in the 100m free (S5) last Sunday.

She has one more race - the 50m free (S5) on Monday.

Singapore's medal hopes in swimming now rest with Yip Pin Xiu , who goes into the 50m free (S3) heats this morning with the third-fastest qualifying time.

She is also expected to do well in the 50m backstroke (S3) on Monday.

Singapore have six athletes at the Paralympics, with equestrian rider Laurentia Tan bagging two bronzes - the country's first Paralympic medals.