Swimmer Quah Zheng Wen took top honours in the 400 metres individual medley ©Getty Images

Host nation Singapore surpassed their best-ever gold medal haul at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games after swimmer Quah Zheng Wen took top honours in the 400 metres individual medley.

Wen’s victory increased Singapore’s tally to 51, after fellow swimmer Tao Li had equalled the record mark of 50 by winning the women’s 100m backstroke event.

The country's previous best came at the 1993 Games when it last hosted the biennial sporting event.

"It's fantastic to have achieved this milestone and we are very proud to have set a new record performance for Team Singapore at the SEA Games," Nicholas Fang, Singapore's Chef de Mission for the SEA Games, told Channel NewsAsia.

"It shows that sports development has moved forward in the 22 years since we last hosted the Games.

“We still have almost a week left of sporting competition and we will have to focus on continuing the strong run of performances that we have seen so far."

Tao Li's gold medal in the women’s 100m backstroke event was Singapore's 50th at the SEA Games
Tao Li's gold medal in the women’s 100m backstroke event was Singapore's 50th at the SEA Games ©Getty Images

Further gold medals in swimming, as well as athletics, canoeing and sailing contributed towards breaking the record.

Singapore finished sixth in the medal standings at the last SEA Games in 2013,  securing 34 golds, 29 silvers and 45 bronzes.


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