Pure Speed: Amanda Lim Shatters SEA Games Record with 25.03 in the Women's 50m Freestyle

Photo Credits: Straits Times

The Women's 50m Freestyle final at the 2025 SEA Games produced one of the defining moments of the meet, as Xiang Qi Amanda Lim stormed to Gold and set a new SEA Games record with a blistering 25.03.

In the shortest race on the programme, margins are measured in hundredths — and Lim was simply untouchable when it mattered most.

Exploding off the blocks, Lim combined a sharp reaction (+0.59) with immediate acceleration, hitting top speed early and holding her line all the way to the wall. Her time erased the previous SEA Games record of 25.04, underlining just how finely executed this swim was.

Behind her, the battle for the remaining podium spots was fierce. Kayla Noelle Sanchez of the Philippines touched second in 25.15, while compatriot Heather White secured Bronze in 25.38, making it a strong sprint showing for the Philippine team.

Singapore added further depth to the final, with Ting Wen Quah finishing fourth in 25.42, as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand rounded out a tightly packed field where all eight swimmers finished within just 1.53 seconds of each other.

This race was a masterclass in precision sprinting — and Amanda Lim delivered it perfectly.

Swim speed: how fast she moved

The race opens with explosive power: Start to Breakout (9.0 m) in 3.79 s at 2.37 m/s, a crisp underwater that sets the foundation for everything that follows. From there, the swim becomes a study in sustained acceleration and controlled aggression.

The defining moment comes immediately after breakout: Breakout to 15m at 3.20 m/s — the fastest water of the entire race and the velocity ceiling for the day. That 1.87 s burst with 5 strokes at 133.8 spm is where the race is won, establishing separation and rhythm that carries through to the finish.

The middle section settles into race tempo: 1.93 m/s over 15m-25m and 1.78 m/s through 25m-35m, maintaining forward drive while managing energy expenditure. The closing 35m-50m holds at 1.75 m/s over 8.56 s — roughly 45% down from her 3.20 m/s peak — but still fast enough to protect the lead and touch first with authority.

Stroke rate: how fast she cycled

Across the full 50 m, Lim averages 61.5 spm — sprint-appropriate tempo that balances power application with forward momentum. But the segment pattern reveals where the race strategy lives.

After the no-stroke underwater phase, she explodes into 133.8 spm from Breakout to 15m with just 5 strokes, using maximal rate to capitalize on the momentum from the dive. The tempo stays high through the middle: 131.7 spm over 15m-25m with 11 strokes, keeping connection and rhythm locked in through the critical acceleration phase.

As the race progresses, stroke rate moderates strategically: 123.4 spm from 25m-35m (12 strokes) and 113.3 spm over the final 35m-50m (16 strokes). That controlled deceleration in tempo — rather than a sudden collapse — is what allows Lim to maintain speed and composure all the way to the wall, even as lactate builds and fatigue sets in.

Distance per stroke: how well she held water

Efficiency in a 50 free sprint is measured differently than distance events — it's not about maximizing DPS, but about finding the right balance between stroke length and rate to produce maximum speed. Lim's numbers tell that story perfectly.

From Breakout to 15m, she sits at 1.20 m per stroke at 133.8 spm — short, punchy strokes optimized for acceleration and turnover at peak velocity. The middle segments compress further: 0.91 m DPS at 131.7 spm (15m-25m) and 0.83 m DPS at 123.4 spm (25m-35m), trading length for rate to maintain forward speed.

The closing 35m-50m shows controlled execution: 0.94 m DPS at 113.3 spm. That slight recovery in distance per stroke, even as rate decreases, indicates technique holding together under maximum fatigue. The overall average of 1.14 m DPS across 44 total strokes reflects the sprint-specific efficiency profile: not long, but consistent and powerful through every phase of the race.

Why this race works for Lim

Taken together, the numbers describe a 50 m freestyle brilliantly executed for record-breaking speed. A powerful 2.37 m/s underwater covering 9.0 m (15.2% of race time) establishes early positioning; a devastating 3.20 m/s breakout acceleration with 133.8 spm creates immediate separation; and a controlled 1.75-1.93 m/s mid-race band with moderated tempo allows her to protect speed all the way to the wall.

For Singapore, that combination of explosive starts, peak velocity execution, and sustained sprint mechanics is exactly what you want from an elite 50 freestyler — and for Amanda Lim, it provides a robust blueprint to chase even faster times off the same race model.

The 25.03 wasn't just a new SEA Games record — it was a technical masterpiece that showcased what happens when power, precision, and race intelligence align perfectly in the sport's shortest event.

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