FRESH from winning a historic double gold at the 2025 CMAS World Cup Finswimming Indoor in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Regina Cheong Xuan Yun is now setting her sights on the 2026 Finswimming World Championships in South Korea next June.
Sharing the same aspiration is fellow Penang swimmer Louis Chin Teng Aun, 22, who bagged a silver and a bronze medal at the same championships.
Together, the duo contributed significantly to Malaysia’s overall haul of two gold, one silver and one bronze medal at the meet from Sept 12 to 14, helping the country finish third behind Taiwan and Thailand. Malaysia fielded 32 participants, including 10 from Penang, while a total of 12 countries took part.
Regina, a 20-year-old psychology freshman at HELP University, struck gold in the 200m immersion and followed it up with another in the 100m immersion.
What made her achievement remarkable was that she only switched to finswimming in June 2023, yet won gold while competing in the 200m immersion for the first time (2:15.89) and the 100m immersion for only the second time (52.14).
“I find this sport very interesting and see a lot of opportunities in it, so I decided to try it while continuing to support swimming,” Regina said.
“When I raced the 200m at the World Cup, I was much more nervous, especially at the turn. It was my first time competing in the event.”
Her biggest hurdle, however, was recurring back pain that predated her finswimming journey.
“When I started, I didn’t know how to condition my ankles, knees and hips. The fin is very heavy, and injuries are common. I have a small body size, so I had to strengthen my joints to avoid getting hurt. I trained very hard and endured ankle pain, but the effort – two hours of intense training daily from Monday to Friday – paid off.”
Louis, who is pursuing an electronic engineering degree at INTI International College Penang, described immersion as a highly technical event that requires balance to achieve top speed underwater with an oxygen tank.
“The two medals I won are very special because they came from events I had never competed in before.
“Leading up to the race, I wasn’t nervous because I trusted what I did during training. I practised a lot of turns and finishes until I could replicate the results consistently. That gave me a sense of calmness rather than nerves during competition,” Louis said.
In preparing for the World Cup, Louis trained at the Relau public pool after classes, clocking in from 4pm to 6pm before other swimmers arrived.
He was meticulous in his 140 days of preparation, carefully planning his training schedule step by step. Conscious of the risks of injuries from the heavy fin, he also did ankle conditioning to build resilience rather than just power.
Another challenge was the mental pressure of representing Malaysia.
“Carrying the flag comes with expectations. At times it got to me, but I tried to make training as light-hearted as possible,” he said.
At the World Cup, Louis managed to finish second in the 200 immersion (1:31.99), third in the 100m immersion (38.66), fifth in the 200m surface (1:35.99) and seventh in the 100m surface (41.19).
With nine months to prepare for the World Championships in South Korea, he is determined to raise the bar.
“With the experience that I learned from the World Cup, I know what my weaknesses are and what I should focus on to make bigger improvements,” he said.
Penang Finswimming Association (PFA) president Thor Al Wayne said the association was immensely proud of Regina and Louis’s outstanding achievements.
“Regina’s dedication, resilience, and commitment to excellence have made her a true champion, and we are proud to see her lift the Malaysian flag high on the international stage.
“Equally, we celebrate Louis, who showcased remarkable strength and skill, winning silver in the 200m immersion and bronze in the 100m immersion. His performance reflects not only his perseverance but also the rising standard of finswimming talent from Penang,” Wayne said, adding that there are currently more than 80 finswimmers in the state squad.
He stressed that their success was not just personal triumphs but also a reflection of the sport’s development in Penang and Malaysia.
“They mark an inspiring chapter in our sporting journey, demonstrating what passion, hard work, and proper support can achieve.
“Looking ahead, the journey does not stop here. We are already planning and preparing Regina, Louis, and our other Penang finswimmers for the World Finswimming Championships in Korea next June. Our focus is on strengthening training, providing the best support system, and ensuring they are well-prepared to take on the world once again.”
Wayne, who noted that selection for the 2026 World Championships will be made after the National Championships in March next year, also extended gratitude to coaches, teammates, families and supporters who have been instrumental in their success.
He added that the achievements of Regina and Louis will serve as an inspiration for more youths to take up finswimming.
PFA secretary Lieu Zi Wei echoed the sentiment, thanking partners such as Vitality Health, JX Foundation, R.A.W.fuel, Smile Holidays and Active Swim for supporting the development of Regina, Louis and other finswimmers in Penang.
“We appreciate all their contributions in helping to prepare the athletes,” she said.
Also present at the interview were Angeline Cheong, the assistant team manager for the World Cup, and PFA treasurer Low Chai Fang.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis and courtesy of Penang Finswimming Association