Synchronised swimmer Zyanne proves she is equally adept in swimming

Spectacular feat: Zyanne Lee Zhien Huey in action during the National Higher Education and Institution Games at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil. — SHAHRUL FAZRY ISMAIL / The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Agility and the ability to hold her breath underwater come naturally to national synchronised swimmer Zyanne Lee Zhien Huey.

That’s what she has been trained to do since her early teens.

But Zyanne showed yesterday that she is equally adept in swimming as well when she bagged one gold and one silver on the penultimate day of the swimming competition of the National Higher Education and Institution Games (Sukipt) at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Zyanne, a five-gold medallist at the Indonesia SEA Games, added to her silver medal collection after finishing second behind former national swimmer Chui Lai Kwan in the women’s 400m freestyle.

Zyanne, who claimed a silver in the 800m freestyle on Tuesday, achieved her golden moment when she swam the second leg of the 4x100m freestyle relay for Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) later in the day.

“That was the last event for me and I am happy it turned out to be a gold medal. I do not have any more races as I only entered for three events,” said Zyanne, who is in the midst of preparing for the Asian Championships in Dubai later this month.

Zyanne will partner younger sister Zylanne Lee Yhing Huey, 20, while Katrina Ann Hadi, 22, is listed as the reserve for the synchro duet of the Asian meet from Nov 15.

Zyanne admitted that competitive swimming is not her cup of tea compared to synchronised swimming.

“I was never active in swimming but the training I go through as a synchronised swimmer is enough for me to swim in competitions like this.

“I didn’t train much for this competition,” said Zyanne, who also won three gold medals at the SEA Aquatic Championships in Singapore in June.

She is not the only synchronised swimmer around. Two of her UPM team-mates – Tan May Mei and Yeo Pei Ling – and Mandy Yeap of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) were also in the national team at one time.

Meanwhile, Lai Kwan continued to be unstoppable in the pool, raking in four more gold medals to take her tally to 10 so far.

The Sandakan-born swimmer came out tops in the 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 50m backstroke as well as being part of the winning 4x100m freestyle relay quartet yesterday.