Masa secretary Jackie Pang (fourth left) receiving two boxes of supplements from Wee (third left) while Sukma XVIII swimming meet manager Anthony Kong (left), Kasa 2010 swimmers and coaches look on.
KUCHING: Sarawak’s preparations for the swimming challenge at next year’s Sukma are right on track.
Amateur Swimming Association of Sarawak (Asas) president Dato Wee Hong Seng said the association had a fruitful meeting recently with Sarawak Sports Corporation chief executive officer Dr Ong Kong Swee, who is also Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) director, and deputy director Lucas Kalang Laeng.
“We have briefed them on the structure of Asas and our preparations for Sukma XVIII,” Wee said after presenting supplements to Sukma shadow team swimmers to representatives from Kuching Amateur Swimming Association 2010 (Kasa 2010) and Miri Amateur Swimming Association (Masa) at Aquatic Centre, Youth and Sports Complex recently.
The eight boxes of supplements were the first batch of supplements from MSNS with each of the four elite training centres Kuching, Samarahan, Sibu and Miri getting two boxes each.
“We also talked about the facilities, equipment, supplements and training not only for the swimmers but the technical officials as well,” said Wee, who is also president of Kasa 2010.
“Some of the equipment will be coming in a week or two’s time and we have just received some supplements from MSNS.”
He added that although more than 40 swimmers for the Sukma shadow team have been identified in the four elite training centres, there was still a chance for potential swimmers to vie for slots in the state team.
“We will be conducting a Sukma selection time trial together with the Sarawak Age Group (SAG) swimming championship next March where the shadow team swimmers will have to beat the qualifying times, which are based on the second place in respective events at the last Sukma in Perlis in 2014.”
Wee said the full Sukma XVIII swimming team will comprise 10 male and 10 female swimmers.
The four national swimmers Welson Sim, Vernon Lee, Erika Kong and Angela Chieng need not take part in the time trial but those who have won medals at SEA Games or higher level competitions are only allowed to compete in two individual and two relay events in the coming Sukma.
“However, any national swimmer who has not won any medals from the above competitions is allowed to take part in as many events as he/she like,” said Wee.
Meanwhile, the final major swimming event on the Asas calendar this year will be the Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr Wong Soon Kai Inter-Club Swimming Championship to be held in Sibu from December 5-7.
Asas will have its hands full next March as three competitions SAG, MSSM and Malaysian Open are all held in the same month while the National Age-Group will be held in April.