Malaysia’s Loo Cheng Feng says missing a medal at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games by 0.21 seconds has shown him what to work on next: the first 25m of his races.

The 16-year-old from Penang finished fourth in the men’s 50m freestyle final on 4 November in 23.25. The Czech Republic’s Zdenek Prochazka won gold in 22.54, ahead of Trinidad and Tobago’s Jaden Mills (22.99) and Cyprus’s Andrew Marcus Laghoutis (23.04).

Loo told ToughASIA in an exclusive interview after his races in Dakar that he was upset when he touched the wall, but understood there was still a gap between him and his target time.

He went into the final “very excited” and stressed, he said, but tried not to think and to treat it “as a normal training routine”.

That morning, Loo had clocked 23.40 to finish second in his heat behind Prochazka.

“I would say mental,” he said of the difference between the two swims. He had been very stressed about making the final in the morning, he said, but in the final he told himself just to do his best.

The 0.21-second gap to bronze made him “more sure” that he should work on his first 25m, he said.

The 50m came two days after a setback in the 100m freestyle on 2 November, where Loo was third in his heat in 51.65 and ninth overall, one place outside the eight-man final.

He called that race “quite traumatising”, saying it left him worried about whether he would make the 50m final. He convinced himself he had nothing to lose and gave it everything.

“Each game consider a new start to me, never look back especially during competition,” he said. Once competition is over, he reflects on each race.

Loo also swam the 200m freestyle on 6 November, finishing seventh in his heat in 1:58.72 and 26th overall. He said racing three distances in a different country was challenging, and that the 50m and 100m freestyle are his main events.

Dakar was his first worldwide meet, which he described as “a memorable and very good experience”, though he had to adapt to the weather and a new environment.

From his rivals, he said, he learned that every race matters, including the short sprint, and picked up “determination, fighting spirit, discipline and confidence” from swimmers from different countries.

Before the Games, Loo said he pushed his hardest in training and tried to adapt to the weather and timeline ahead of the competition in Dakar.

Asked who helped him most, Loo named his coach, Albert Yeap Jin Teik, and his family.

“Coach Albert was leading me and coaching me step by step,” he said, adding that his family in Penang was always there to support him whenever he needed.

In a Malaysian team that included swimmer Shannon Tan Yan Qing, he said, the athletes watched each other’s events and cheered each other on.

Loo’s next goals are the SEA Games, world junior competition and more international meets. His message to young Malaysian swimmers who want to follow him was simple.

“Do your best, never give up,” he said. “Always ready for the opportunity and challenge yourself to the next level.”