SWIMMING: Another Chance To Qualify

AFTER a successful outing in their first competition of the year at last month's Singapore age-group meet, the national team will be gunning for more glory and Olympic berths at the three-day Malaysian Age-Group Championships.

The event, which is the second designated Olympic qualifying event in Southeast Asia, begins on Friday at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil and for the first time, the organisers, the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM), has opened the event to foreign competitors. Hong Kong, India and Guam have confirmed their entries while the Philippines have stated their interest to compete.

The national swimmers managed a haul of 11-3-3 at the Singapore qualifying with Kevin Yeap and Christina Loh meeting Olympic qualifying standards in the men's 1,500m freestyle and women's 100m breaststroke respectively.

Freestyler Khoo Cai Lin and breaststroker Siow Yi Ting have also beaten the Olympic qualifying 'B' (invitation) times in their respective events but are not guaranteed places.

 A swimmer reaching Olympic invitation time standard is eligible for entry depending on the rankings where they will need to better their times before the deadline passes in June. A country can only have one representative in each event.

Swimmers will be competing for honours in five categories - Open, 15-17, 13-14, 11-12 and 10-and-under - at the Malaysian Age-Group meet.

"The foreign swimmers will make the event more exciting. Our national swimmers are also better conditioned and I expect them to make a huge impression," said ASUM secretary Edwin Chong yesterday.

"Hong Kong had wanted to send 80 swimmers but we could only accommodate 50 while Guam have confirmed three swimmers."

On whether the national swimmers would be able to better their times for Olympic qualification, Edwin said he expects them to do better than their outing in Singapore.

"Our swimmers are feeling confident after Singapore as despite not at peak condition then, they managed to improve their times and win titles.

"We have a few Olympic qualifying competitions left before the June deadline and by then, I believe, at least three swimmers will qualify for the Olympics," Edwin added.

The Malaysian Open (May) followed by the Southeast Asian Championships (May) and Singapore Open (June) are the remaining Olympic qualifying meets.

Read more: SWIMMING: Another chance to qualify - Other - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/swimming-another-chance-to-qualify-1.69562#ixzz1rQXnMvYs