Swimming nationals start on Friday

Swimming nationals start on Friday

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Swimming Federation of Indonesia (PRSI), while conceding
its athletes lag behind their peers in the region, is hoping for
new national records when swimmers from 23 provinces compete in
age group nationals this weekend.

Chairman of the national championship organizing committee
Lukman Niode said on Tuesday that 276 men's and 177 women's
swimmers would compete at Senayan swimming pool in Central
Jakarta from Friday to Sunday

"We hope swimmers could break national records in the national
championship," he told a press conference.

According to Lukman, a national record breaker will receive a
bonus of Rp 10 million (US$1,050), while an age group national
record breaker will get Rp 2 million bonus.

The championship features five age groups: senior (above 18
years), age group I (15-17 years), age group II (13-14 years),
age group III (11-12 years) and age group V (under 10).

The national championship is the first event held by PRSI
under the leadership of newly appointed chairman Purnomo
Yusgiantoro, who is also minister of energy and natural
resources.

The championship will begin on Friday in two sessions, from 9
a.m.to noon, and from 2 p.m.

Lukman said that the national championship, which is also part
of the preparations for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in Manila
later this year, was a crucial part of the effort to improve the
performance of swimmers.

"Our current group of swimmers is unable to compete with those
from other countries in Southeast Asia," he said.

"It's in contrast to the situation in the late 1970s and early
1980s when we dominated the swimming competition in Southeast
Asia."

The federation has also sent swimmers to train in the U.S. and
Australia.