Swimmers aim to make Asian top 10

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian synchronized swimming team is aiming to finish in the Asian top 10 in the Asian swimming championship in Pusan, South Korea, in late March, coach Dinda Rahmani said.

Dinda named the team members as Lenny Puspita and Tyas Titisari. She said it would be the first time the national synchronized swimming team attended the championship, which also serves as a prequalifying round for the 2000 Olympic Games.

"It's very difficult to earn a single medal in the championships. We will face a tough challenge from South Korea, China and Japan," she said.

"The Indonesian Swimming Federation (PRSI) has set a target for us of making the top 10. We will try our best for that," Dinda was quoted by Antara as saying on Wednesday.

She also hoped that in the future, many young synchronized swimmers would compete in similar events in order to popularize the sport among Indonesians.

"There are many young synchronized swimmers in Indonesia, and we are trying to develop the sport," she said. The Indonesian team won one gold and one silver in the 1997 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Jakarta. (ivy)