The Can-Do Spirit in sports

That's the can-do spirit of Singapore!

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Tao Li roars for Singapore
Swimmer wins country's first 2010 Asian Games gold
05:55 AM Nov 19, 2010
by Tan Yo-Hinn (with thanks to TODAY )

GUANGZHOU - Tao Li became only the second woman swimmer outside of China to win gold last night, when the Singapore speed merchant stormed to first place in the 50m butterfly at the 16th Asian Games.

The 20-year-old ended the Republic's wait for its first gold medal at the Games with a new national record of 26.10sec at the Aoti Aquatics Centre.

Japan's Yuka Kato took silver (26.27) and China's Lu Ying claimed the bronze (26.29). Tao Li's big rival, 19-year-old Jiao Liuyang, could only manage to come in fourth (26.55), ending the Chinese swimmer's dream of a hat-trick of butterfly golds, after her wins in the 100m and 200m.

Jiao's claim after the Chinese National Championships in April that she had no challengers on the continent had come home to roost, according to Tao Li.

"She said she has no rivals in Asia, so that was a motivation for me. When I saw there was so much media coverage on her, it spurred me even further," the Singapore star said, after the race.

Singapore Sports School graduate Tao Li had already lowered her previous national mark of 26.64 when she clocked 26.52 in the morning heats, and she was clearly pumped up to defend the gold medal she won at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

When it was her turn to be introduced to the 3,000-odd crowd inside the Aoti Aquatics Centre last night, the Auckland University of Technology student made an "I'm-watching-you" gesture to the television camera, before raising both fists to salute the crowd and more than 50 Singapore fans in the stands, including her team-mates, coaches and parents.

Starting in lane 5, her reaction time at the bell was 0.71sec, similar to Lu and Jiao, who flanked her in lanes 4 and 6, respectively. Rising out of the water last of the trio, Tao Li's trademark kicking power propelled her forward and by the 25m mark, she was in the lead and no one was going to catch her.

It is her second Games medal, after her silver in the 100m fly on Saturday, and is another stepping stone in her quest to win a medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
For now, though, she indulged a little, saying cheekily after her race: "After this result, I don't think I have any rivals in Asia."

URL http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC101119-0000124/Tao-Li-roars-for-Singapore