The Star : Swimming needs better facilities at lower level

BY RAJES PAUL

KUALA LUMPUR: Swimming may not be able to make a huge splash as one of the main sports Malaysia if it is not supported with good facilities at the grassroots level.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had recently identified swimming as one of the four core sports which should focus on their development programmes.

The others are cycling, badminton and athletics.

These four sports have not been producing fresh talents for the country and there is an urgent need to form a wider base.

Malaysia also did not have a great outing at the 2013 Sea Games in Myanmar, when the national swimmers only managed to bring home four gold medals, four silvers and three bronzes.

Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) secretary general Datuk Sieh Kok Chi said that it would be worth investing in swimming “but it’ll take a great will to do it”.

“Swimming offers 38 gold medals (at the SEA Games). An outstanding swimmer can single-handedly win five to six gold medals.

Former international Nurul Huda Abdullah used to be multiple medal winner.

“She won seven gold medals in each of the three SEA Games she competed in from 1985 to 1989,” said Kok Chi.

“To achieve that, we must have proper facilities.

“The number one focus should be having ample swimming pools, followed by producing qualified swimming instructors and coaches and organising competitions.”

Kok Chi said that facilities for swimming in schools and rural areas were not up to the mark.

“There are just too few swimming pools to produce a wide base of swimmers to build a strong national team like in Singapore and Hong Kong,” said Kok Chi, who admitted that the huge cost involved in building pools could prove to be a deterrent.

“But smaller pools are not really expensive,” he pointed out.

“In Victoria Institution (VI), I learnt swimming in a smaller pool (25m x15m) but this school has produced many national swimmers and water-polo players.

“It is workable in schools too.

“We can also look at partnerships with condominiun owners to conduct classes for the younger ones. There are also mobile pools that we can look into.”

Kok Chi said that Malaysia can emulate other countries with successful models.

“Hong Kong and Singapore have done well.

“China, Thailand and Vietnam have also improved. Australia, the United States and Japan have good development programmes. Japan has a long tradition and history of challenging the western swimming powers and we, probably, can follow them,” said Kok Chi.

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Change of Training Schedule

Dear IBSC Members,

Kindly note that due to the faulty pumps, Cheras pool is still not operational. As such the training schedules are changed as follows :

Pre-Comp Classes Cancellation

The pre-comp classes are cancelled on 25-27 Feb, 2015 (Wed - Fri).

Regular Training

Regular swim classes under Coach Shazali & Coach Kamal shall be changed as follows :

Venue : Pusat Kecemerlangan Sukan Paralimpik, Kg. Pandan, Kuala Lumpur
Dates : 25 -27 Feb, 2015
Time : 5:30 - 7:30 pm.


We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Thank you for your understanding.

Regards,
Swim Committee

NAG 2015 KL Swim Team

Following the conclusion of the KL Age Group Swimming Championship on 2 February 2015, eligible swimmers have been identified to represent the Kuala Lumpur Swim Team. These KL swimmers will be able to participate in the forth-coming 51st MILO/PRAM National Age-Group Swimming Championships 2015 scheduled to be held at Bukit Jalil Aquatic Complex, Kuala Lumpur on 24 - 26 April 2015.

Congratulations to the IBSC swimmers who have made it to the NAG 2015 KL Swim Team. See the full list of the KL Swim Team 2015 here.

Please contact Ms Cyrena Yong or Mr Wong Kam Yuen, the KL Swim Team Managers for your  entries. Deadline for acceptance/entries is 6 March 2015.

See more details of 51st NAG 2015.

Good Luck!

Happy Chinese New Year 2015

51st MILO/PRAM Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championships 2015

Please note that the 51st MILO/PRAM Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championships 2015 will be held as follows :-

Date	:  24 to 26 April, 2015 (Fri-Sun)
Venue	:  National Aquatic Centre, Bukit Jalil, K.L.
Organiser	:  Association of Swimming Union Malaysia (ASUM)
Rules	:  FINA Rules Apply
Competition Format	:  Timed Finals basis
Age of Reckoning	:  As of 1 January 2015
Entries	:  No limit to the number of swimmers per event
Closing Date	:  5.00 pm on 27 March, 2015

As with last year's format, the competition is divided into 2 categories, for which swimmers will be awarded separately :

(i)  Malaysia Invitational Age Group (MAG Open) and

(ii) Malaysia Age Group Closed (MAG Closed) - for Malaysians only

Please note that foreigners residing in Malaysia must compete in MAG Open. Kindly indicate citizenship status should you intend to compete in MAG Closed.

This competition has also been sanctioned by FINA as the qualifying event for the  FINA World Championship 2015 in Kazan.

The Order of Events are as follows :

See more details of 51st MAG 2014.

MSSWP Day 2 ended with no award presentation

The school kids at MSSWP KL meet were all awesome, having to endure the heat into the second day of swimming competition at Bandar Tun Razak pool and yet performed so well.

The IBSC swimmers continued their strength to swim all their might, some for the very first time, but that did not deter them for jumping into the pool to race against time to clock some new PBs.

Winners deserve praises and applause after swimming hard to grab the top positions even though it's disappointing to be informed by the organiser that no medals or certificates could be awarded as yet at the end of the meet.

Nevertheless the swimmers and parents are proud of their kids' achievements at the inter-school meet. Congratulations to the following top IBSC swimmers who represented their schools in the swim meet :-

Group 1 Girls Tan Rou Ying (SAB) Yap Li Wen (GIS) Zoe Bowden (GIS) Lee Chee Shian (SAB) Farra Dyana (SAB) Amanda Nunis (SAB)	6G 1G/4S/1B 1G/4S/1B 2G/1S/4B 5B 2B	Group 1 Boys Howard Sim (GIS) Afiq Imran (SMKVI) Adam Afif (SAB) Goh Wai Hou (SMKTC) Kevin Lim (SMKTC) Eu Joo Ying (SMKVI)	6G/1S/2B 2G/5S/1B 2G/2B 1G/3S/3B 1G/2S 2S/1B
Group 2 Girls Karla Lim (SMKTC) Nurlatifa Zahra (TIS) Alia Salleh (SMKSH) Nuraina Naziha (SAB)	2G/1B 1G/3S 1B 1B	Group 2 Boys Anson Chew (SJIS) Iqmal Muqhis (SAB) Nicolas Sia (TIS) Low Ken Ji (SJIS) Steve Khiew (SMKVI) Neo Xue Wen (SMW) Jackson Khiew (SMKVI) Ng Kai Wen (SMPCH)	6G/1S/2B 2G/3S 2G/2S 2G/1B 1G/1S/1B 1S 2B 2B
Group 3 Girls Sadie Gordon (TASS) Asley Chow (TIS) Ng Zi Syuen (JKCMY)	2G/3S/1B 1G/1S/1B 2S/7B	Group 3 Boys Zachary Lim (JKCK1) Sharizan Shazali (SKTM1) Jason Ng (JKCTC) Wong Wei Xuan (JKCTC)	10G 1S/3B 1B 1B
Group 4 Girls Chelsea Lee (JKCCK) Law Li Wei (GIS) Teo Sze Hui (SRKC2)	2G/1S/1B 1G/2S/2B 1G/1B	Group 4 Boys Ng Yi Xuan (JKCJD) Teo Zun Jet (SRKC2)	1G/1B 2B

The Full Results of MSSWP 2015 can be viewed and downloaded from the Results Page.

Selected top swimmers will be picked by the MSSWP Technical Committee to represent the KL State at the national level MSSM Swimming Championship 2015 scheduled to be held on 15-19 March, 2015 at Shah Alam.

Some of the actions at the pool can be viewed below.

See more photos at IBSC Gallery

MSSWP 2015 kicked start with some hick-up

Today is the start of the MSSWP Swimming Championship 2015 with the participation of 65 schools around the Federal Territory. The annual meet is on-going at Kompleks Renang Kuala Lumpur at Bandar Tun Razak from 10-11 February, 2015.

IBSC swimmers representing their own schools take active part in the competition with most showing promising results and improvements on day 1, even though within such short span from the PRAKL Age Group Swimming Championship 2015 which has just concluded last week.

The swim meet could have progressed even smoother if not for some hick-up in the reckoning of certain age groups. Hopefully the organiser will take action to rectify discrepancies that have arisen.

Results of the Day 1 of MSSWP 2015 can be downloaded from the here.

Enjoy some snap shots below.

More photos at IBSC Gallery

Nutrition Talk

Parents and swimmers of IBSC are invited to attend a nutrition talk scheduled this Saturday (7 Feb 2015) at Cheras pool (before swim training).

IBSC top in record-breaking spree in KL Age Group 2015

Congratulations to Team IBSC for the superb performance in the 3-day KL Age Group Swimming Championship 2015 which ended today.

IBSC is top in the record-breaking spree with 12 new meet records and collection of 83 gold, 57 silver and 67 bronze.

Well done to all medallists. More detail report to follow soon, so stay tuned!

See Full Results of PRAKL Age Group 2015