Swimmers have chance to rejoin SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): Three national men's swimmers still have a chance to compete in the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in September despite the fact that they were excluded from the decentralized training program.

"Twins Albert and Felix Susanto, and Steven Chandra still have a chance to compete in the SEA Games as long as they can perform well at the national championships in May. The championships will serve as the final stage of selection," said Indonesian Swimming Federation (PRSI) vice secretary-general Dadeng Kurnia.

Albert, the butterfly stroke and individual medley specialist, Felix, the backstroke and individual medley specialist, and Steven, the 1,500m specialist, were dropped from the squad because they failed to reply to PRSI's letter calling them to join the training program.

PRSI will miss Elsa Manora Nasution in the squad as she is pregnant from her marriage with badminton star Ricky Subagja.

Women's breaststroke specialist Rita Mariani confirmed her absence in the Games by sending a facsimile saying she withdrew from the training program due to her studies in South Carolina.

Dadeng said, as quoted by Antara that PRSI would replace Rita with either Diah Ayu Rahmini or Renate Lomban Toruan.

In diving, PRSI has been grooming Shenny Ratna Amelia for the women's event. Shenny, the 1999 SEA Games gold medalist, is expected to repeat her success in this year's biennial event.

Nani Suryani and Eka Purnama Indah will perform in the new event, synchronized diving. Eka will also perform in the women's springboard. (yan)