Swimming body grooms 13 athletes for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Swimming Association (PRSI) has invited 13 swimmers to prepare for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam in August.

On Monday, local media quoted Kristiono Sumono, PRSI's deputy chief for athletes development, as saying the group included young swimmers who participated in the national age-group swimming championship last week, and those who were currently training abroad.

Kristiono refused to name the 13 swimmers, only saying PRSI selected the best swimmers from the individual and team medley events.

Separately, the PRSI's technical section chief, Lukman Niode, said the junior swimmers included Hendrik Eko AP, Siripiya and M. Akbar Nasution.

Swimmers training abroad include veteran Richard Sam Bera, Catherine Surya, Rita Mariani, Wisnu Wardhana, Meitri W. Pangestika and Sylvi Triana.

No records were smashed during the three-day championship ended last Saturday. The results fell far short of PRSI's chairman Rahardi Ramelan's expectations.

Earlier, the PRSI head said he was optimistic Indonesia would bag 11 golds from the Games, matching its achievement of the 19th SEA Games here in 1997.

Kristiono said the target now appeared beyond the swimmers' reach. "In my opinion, it will be good if our swimmers can accomplish 50 percent of what they earned during the 1997 SEA Games," he told Media Indonesia.

He said senior swimmers such as Richard and Catherine were no longer in peak condition. He said Richard concentrated on his job in the United States, while Catherine was recovering from a knee injury after undergoing surgery last year.

"If she is fully recovered, she may grab one medal only," he said.

PRSI is also preparing nine divers for the Games: Shenny R. Amelia, Eka Purnama Indah, Sri Ida Yulia Lestari, Rismaya, Herliani Dyas, M. Nasrullah, Deri Ibrahim, Yulius Eko M. and Sukran Zamzami.

Coach Harly said three of the nine, Eka, Shenny and Nasrullah, would go to Beijing for training on May 20. They will return in early July.

The association has reportedly allocated about Rp 2 billion for the training program in Australia which will start from May to June.

Kompas daily quoted Lukman as saying the swimmers would practice in the chilly water temperature of five Celsius degrees to maintain their VO2max (oxygen capacity in blood).

"The Rp 2 billion is not only for swimming, but also for water polo and diving," he said. The association will choose between three Australian cities -- Brisbane, Darwin or Perth -- for the training program. (ivy)