More swimmers eye Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia hopes to qualify more swimmers for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney apart from nine swimmers currently attending a training program.

Secretary-general of the National Swimming Federation of Indonesia (PRSI) Abdurrahim said the swimmers could test their skills in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya in June, which has been acknowledged by the international swimming federation (FINA) as one of the qualifying rounds for the quadrennial event.

"Senior swimmers like Catherine Surya, Rita Mariani and Meitri Pangestika still have a chance to qualify through competing in PON. But we will consider the best swimmers to represent Indonesia in the Olympics. A chance to perform in the Games will boost their confidence, although we have not named any swimmers to be sent to Sydney," he said on Wednesday.

PRSI and the National Sports Council (KONI) are grooming men's swimmers Richard Sam Bera, Wisnu Wardhana, M. Akbar Nasution, twin brothers Albert and Felix Christiadi Sutanto M. Akbar Nasution, Steven Chandra and women's swimmers Elsa Manora Nasution and Siripiya Sutanto. Among these swimmers, only Siripiya has not yet qualified.(ivy)