Tokyo Paralympics: Hong Kong’s Chan Yui-lam sets Games record in women’s 100m butterfly heat

The 17-year-old finishes first as fellow debutant Cheung Ho-ying earns fifth in same race but Games record does not last long

2016 Rio gold medallist Tang bows out of men’s 100m butterfly with favoured freestyle event still to go

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Hong Kong's Chan Yui-lam finishes first in the women's 100m butterfly S14 heat at the 2020 Paralympic Games in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Photos: Hong Kong Paralympic Committee

Published: 10:22am, 25 Aug 2021Updated: 4:55pm, 25 Aug 2021

Teenager Chan Yui-lam set a new Paralympic record in the women’s 100-metres butterfly S14 heats as three of Hong Kong’s swimmers opened the city’s 2020 Games campaign at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre.

The 17-year-old Paralympics debutant clocked an impressive 1:07.20, edging Britain’s Jessica-Jane Applegate at the wall, to seal a spot in the final. However, the new Paralympic record did not last long – Russian world record holder Valeriia Shabalina took her Games record back in the next heat in 1:05.37.

Chan was touted to have a potential breakout performance after winning bronze in the same category at the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships, where she also set a new Asian record. She won a gold, silver and bronze at the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Racing in the same heat was fellow debutant Cheung Ho-ying, 18, who finished fifth in 1:10.69. Her time was good enough for the eighth spot in the final.

Hong Kong's Chan Yui-lam finishes first in the women's 100m butterfly S14 heat 1 at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Japan.

2016 Rio Paralympic Games 200m freestyle gold medallist Tang Wai-lok finished sixth in his respective men’s 100m butterfly S14 heat with a time of 1:02.53, trailing Australia’s Liam Schluter who set a new Paralympics record. Britain’s Reece Dunn beat the same record in the following heat.