Swimmers set for inter-club cup

JAKARTA (JP): The 24th SEA inter-club age group swimming championships, the Sanya Samakki Challenge Cup, will begin in Karawaci, Tangerang, next week, giving young local swimmers a chance to make the national SEA Games team.

The organizing committees' secretary, Buchari Nasution, said yesterday that swimmers would represent their clubs rather than a national team.

"The rules state that each swimmer must represent a club," he said.

National selectors have chosen a squad of 10 male and eight female teenagers as its second-string team for the 19th SEA Games here from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.

Second string swimmers Kevin Rose Nasution, Sylvi T., Armand Pandji, Donny B. Utomo and Denny B Utomo will compete at next week's championships.

Swimmers from 27 clubs will compete at the championships. There will be special medals for the best swimmers in each class.

Indonesia will have the biggest contingent at the championships with 188 swimmers from 10 clubs, followed by Singapore's 134 swimmers from six clubs and Thailand's 68 swimmers from seven clubs.

The three-day championships, featuring 100 events, will be held at the Pelita Harapan school, which is sponsoring it.

Indonesia has hosted the event three times. At the Senayan swimming pool in 1980, in Cisarua, Bogor, in 1985 and at the Ancol Swimming Pool in 1989.

Defending champion Boonrawd Brewery Sports Club of Thailand will compete again this year.

"We must be aware of Thai swimmers because they have good talent for the next four years," Nasution said.

"We predicted that their swimmers who took part in the championships four years ago would dominate in Southeast Asia. We're right, they have become great swimmers and are beating ours, especially in the SEA Games," he said. (yan)