SEAG swim Olympic qualifier

MANILA, Philippines — The international federation for swimming, known as FINA, has certified the 30th Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines in November as a qualifying event for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI) president Lani Velasco received the news this week, through a letter signed by FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu.

“We have the pleasure to inform you that FINA has aproved the following competitions as meets where swimmers can achieve the FINA ‘A’ and ‘B’ standard qualifying times,” said the FINA letter.

Marculescu, who represented Romania in the water polo competitons during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, asked the PSI to provide FINA with the official results of the swimming competitions in this year’s SEA Games, set Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

The Philippines is hoping to field its best swimmers in the SEA Games.

Velasco has called for an open tryout and welcomed all swimmers regardless of club and affiliation wanting to represent the country in this year’s SEA Games and next year’s Olympics.

“We are very grateful that FINA has approved the 30th SEA Games as a qualifying meet for the Tokyo Olympics,” she said yesterday.

“This unprecedented event is a great opportunity for our swimmers in the attainment of our goals in Philippine swimming,” added Velasco, who again called on every stakeholder in the sport in the country to join the exercise.