The Star : Great Phee-ling! Jinq En splashes her way to Olympics

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will have a second swimmer going to the Rio Olympics next month.

The world governing body, FINA, have informed the Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) that woman breaststroke specialist Phee Jinq En has also qualified for the Olympics under category B.

Jinq En is set to join Sarawakian Welson Sim in making their Olympic debut pending confirmation from FINA, who are finalising the list of Olympic qualifiers for the swimming competition, which takes place from Aug 6-13.

Swimming have a total quota of 900 athletes for the Olympics and a country can have two swimmers for each event.  

“FINA informed us that we have one swimmer who has qualified with the fastest-ranked B time.

“We’re awaiting the announcement from FINA.

“We are also waiting to see if Welson wins an extra Olympic spot in the 1500m freestyle.

“He has already made the A time for the 200m and 400m freestyle,” said Asum secretary Mae Chen.

It will be a crowning moment for Jinq En, who has taken women’s breaststroke in Malaysia to new heights since bursting into the limelight at the Singapore SEA Games last year.

Jinq En will join Welson Sim to the Rio Olympic Games.

The Selangor-born swimmer marked her SEA Games debut by taking gold in the women’s 100m breaststroke in Singapore and erased Siow Yi Ting’s national record of 1:09.82, that stood for six years, by clocking 1:09.64 at the World Cup swimming meet in Dubai last November.

Three-time Olympian and the now-retired Yi Ting set the record at the 2009 Laos Sea Games with the now-banned hi-tech swimsuit fabric.

The 18-year-old lowered the national record to 1:08.99 when she returned to Singapore for the national age-group meet there in March.

Jinq En raised the bar to 1:08.65 when she won at the Malaysian Open in Bukit Jalil in May. Although it was outside the Olympic A time of 1:08.75, it was still good enough to put her on board to Rio de Janeiro.

Khoo Cai Lin was the only Malaysian swimmer at the last Olympics in London.

Selamat Menyambut Hari Raya Aidil Fitri 2016

See training schedule during the Raya break here.

Ikan Bilises facilitated Level 1 Coaching Program of ASUM

The little Ikan Bilises from IBSC have quite a different experience last week during their training sessions at Cheras pool as they were assigned as trainees for the ASUM practical training under the Level 1 Coaching program organised by Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (ASUM).

The junior swimmers were assigned to 5 group of coaches where they undertook swim training by following programs designed by the trainee coaches. The practical sessions were held for 3 evening sessions at the pool and assessed by the swim gurus, Mr Chee Pao Kam and Mr Andrew Oon.

The kids have had exhilarating practices in and out of water with the group of coaches with very unique cluster names. IBSC is glad to be able to assist ASUM in carrying out the practical training sessions smoothly.

The Dory Group

The Nemo Group

The Fastswim Group

HaWPO (Hard Works Pay Off) Group

The Ikan Masin Group

A group photos of the trainers, trainee coaches and IBSC swimmers after the end of the practical training session at Cheras pool 

See more photos on the slideshows

2nd ASUM/NSC/MILO Junior Splash Swim, Melaka 2016

Dear All,

Kindly be informed that Malacca Amateur Swimming Association is organising the 2nd ASUM/NSC/MILO Junior Splash Swim 2016 in Melaka, for junior swimmers aged 12 and below to spur interest in swimming for junior development and to tap new talents. See details below.


Date                                :   10th – 11th Sept, 2016 (Sat - Sun)
Venue                             :    Hang Jebat Aquatic Stadium, Melaka
Organizer                        :    Malacca Amateur Swimming Association  (MASA)
Rules                               :    FINA Rules applies
Date of Age Reckoning   :    1st January, 2016
Entry Closing Date          :    1st August , 2016 (Mon), 3:00 pm.
Team Manager Meeting  :    9th Sept, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.
Entries                             :   No limit to the number of swimmers or events

Entry Fees                       :   RM6/event and RM24/relay team

IBSC junior swimmers who missed out the recent 1st Junior Splash Swim in March 2016, at Cheras pool and those who are interested may download the invite and rules here. 

Kindly note that the Club will NOT be organising a trip to Melaka for this meet, hence interested swimmers may participate in the said meet on their own, ie. travel, meals and accommodation are at your own arrangement and cost.

However, the Club will assist in administering the swim entries with an admin fee of  RM10/swimmer. Individual event fee of RM6/event is payable by swimmers and the relay fees of RM24/team for the relay event shall be borne by the Club.

IBSC's closing date for entries is 25 July, 2016 (Mon)

Download IBSC's Entry Form.

Thank you.

IBSC Swim Committee

The Star : Olympian Welson draws confidence from Europe stint

BY TAN MING WAI


KUALA LUMPUR: Welson Sim has declared that he’s in the best shape of his life ahead the Rio de Janeiro Games in August.

The 19-year-old said that the two-week stint at the Mare Nostrum Tour in Europe recently had boosted his confidence as he prepares to make his Olympic debut.

Welson showed that he’s no pushover in a world-class field by picking up a silver in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 200m freestyle in the first leg in Monaco two weeks ago.

Welson meets up with chef de mission Tan Sri Al-Amin Majid at the Aquatics Centre. - S.S.K KANESAN/The Star

He went on to improve on his B time in the men’s 1,500m freestyle, posting 15:32.67 in the Barcelona leg to brighten his hopes of qualifying for his third event in Rio.

“The results from European meets showed that my preparation for the Olympics is on the right track,” Welson said after meeting Malaysia’s Olympic chef de mission Tan Sri Mohd Al-Amin Abdul Majid on Thursday.

“It was a great experience to race against the world’s best swimmers. Now I will head to the Olympics without any fears.

“I’m also in tip-top condition. I want to use the remaining two months to mould myself into even better shape come August.

“I always believe that there is no limit to how fast I can swim. I can only get better.”

Welson  qualified for the Olympics under the A time for the 200m and 400m freestyle events at the Singapore national age-group meet in March.

Doing light training at the aquatics centre.

As for the 1,500m, Welson will have to wait until the middle of next month to learn from FINA, swimming’s world governing body, if his B time is good enough to make the cut.

But it’s the 200m and 400m freestyle that he will be focusing on.

“I will settle nothing less than improving on both my personal bests of 1:47.67 in the 200m freestyle and 3:50.33 in the 400m freestyle (which he clocked in Singapore), which are also the national records,” Welson stressed.



Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2016/06/16/olympian-welson-draws-confidence-from-europe-stint/

The Star : Hope brightens for Welson to enter three events in Rio afterall

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Welson Sim brightened his hopes of swimming in a third Olympic event after improving on his B time in the men’s 1,500m freestyle.

The 19-year-old clocked a personal best 15:32.67 to finish seventh in the final leg of the Mare Nostrum Tour in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. The B Olympic qualifying time for 1,500m is 15:46.79 and Welson posted 15:35.63 at the Malaysian Open last month.

Britain’s Stephen Milne clocked 15:12.33 to take the gold. Marcelo Acosta of El Salvador finished second in 15:15.20 while Britain’s Timothy Shuttleworth clocked 15:16.09 for third place.

In the first leg in Monaco a week ago, Welson won the silver in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 200m freestyle.

He was forced to pull out of the second leg in Canet-en-Roussillon, France, last Wednesday because of flu.

Swimmers who made the B cut will know from FINA, swimming’s world governing body, by the middle of next month if they qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August.

Welson is already assured of competing in Rio as he made the A cut for the 200m and 400m freestyle at the Singapore National Age-Group Championships in March.

Also on Sunday, Singapore SEA Games gold medallist Phee Jinq En gave another consistent performance to win the women’s 100m breaststroke B final in 1:09.41.

The 18-year-old Jinq En, who posted a new national record of 31.66 to win the 50m breaststroke gold in Monaco, made the B final after she finished 11th overall in 1:10.18. Team-mate Erika Kong was placed 30th after clocking 1:14.06 in the heats.

Wong Fu Kang posted 29.63 for 21st spot in the men’s 50m breaststroke while Khoo Cai Lin was 14th overall in the women’s 400m freestyle after clocking 4:21.57.


Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2016/06/13/welson-has-a-chance-to-enter-three-events-in-rio-afterall/

The Star : Swimmer Kevin’s Olympic dream is dashed

BY LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: Kevin Yeap will not be joining Heidi Gan in the 10km open water swimming event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in August.

The 27-year-old Kevin could only clock 2’02:09.10 to settle for 48th place in the men’s Olympic qualifying tournament at Setubal Bay, Portugal, on Sunday.

Zu Lijun of China won the 61-man competition in 1’52:18.20 with Germany’s Christian Reichert (1’52:20.40) second and Ecuador’s Ivan Enderica Ochoa (1’52:22.60) third.

A total of 15 spots were up for grabs with the top 10 gaining direct entry and five more available for the top continental finishers.

Kevin found it hard to match the other established swimmers as it was only his first competitive open water tournament since winning the bronze at the 2011 Indonesian SEA Games.

But credit to Kevin, a former SEA Games gold medallist and national 400m freestyle record holder, as he was one of the 53 competitors to cross the finish line.

On Saturday, Heidi secured her second straight Olympic appearance by finishing 18th to grab the continental berth allotted for Asia.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2016/06/13/swimmer-kevin-olympic-dream-is-dashed/

The Star : Heidi books her ticket to Rio Games at Setubal Bay

BY TAN MING WAI

PETALING JAYA: National open water swimmer Heidi Gan will be making her second Olympic appearance at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

The 27-year-old secured her spot for the August Games after claiming a creditable 18th place finish in the 48-competitor Olympic Qualifying tournament at the Setubal Bay, Portugal on Saturday.

The Indonesia SEA Games double gold medallist finished the 10km race in an impressive time of 1'57:41.2 and it was enough for her punch her ticket as the top Asian finisher outside of the top 10.

China's Xin Xin pipped two-time world champion Keri-Anne Payne of Great Britain by 0.8 seconds for the top spot in 1'55:12.1.

Samantha Arevalo of Ecuador posted 1'55:15.9 to settle for third.

“I was so emotional after the race. Six weeks ago I was barely able to swim due to a shoulder injury,” said Heidi when contacted in Portugal.

“The race was brutal. The sea was rough and the competition was tough.

“I gave everything I had. I’m so proud I managed to qualify for the Olympics again,” said Heidi.

It was a remarkable achievement for Heidi as she’s not a full-time athlete.

Graduated with a law degree from the University of Western Australia in 2014, Heidi now works as a paralegal at a firm in Perth.

In her maiden Olympic appearance in London, Heidi finished a creditable 16th out of 25 swimmers.

A total of 25 swimmers will again compete in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics from Aug 5-21.


Source http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2016/06/12/heidi-books-her-ticket-to-rio-at-setubal-bay/

The Star : Jinq En revelling in the presence of swim idol in Barcelona

BY LIM TEIK HUAT


PETALING JAYA: Swimmer Phee Jinq En finished a creditable seventh in her third straight women’s 50m breaststroke A final appearance on the Mare Nostrum Tour in Europe.

The 18-year-old Malaysian clocked 31.99 in the Tour’s final leg in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday. In a world class field, Jinq En finished ahead of Japan’s 200m breaststroke world champion Kanako Watanabe who posted 32.09.

Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania, the world and Olympic gold medallist, touched home in 29.98 for the gold while Britain’s Sarah Vasey took the silver in 30.79. Jennie Johansson of Sweden clocked 30.98 for the bronze.

Earlier in the heats, Jinq En posted the seventh fastest time of 32.04 to reach the final.

“I’ve come from admiring my idol (Meilutyte) so much to racing with her in the final in an event where she holds the world record. Achievement unlocked,” tweeted Jing En.

She posted a new national record of 31.66 en route to taking the gold in the 50m breaststroke in the opening leg in Monaco last week.

Jinq En was placed fourth in 31.69 in the second leg in Canet-en-Roussillon, France, on Thursday.

Team-mate Erika Kong also competed in Barcelona. She was placed 31st in the 50m breaststroke (34.32) and 27th in the 200m breaststroke (2:40.05).

Olympic-bound Welson Sim was seventh in the men’s 400m freestyle A final in 3:52.58.

Singapore SEA Games gold medallist Wong Fu Kang’s campaign ended early after he could only manage 1:04.11 for 29th spot in the 100m breaststroke heats.


Read at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/swimming/2016/06/12/phee-jinq-en-seventh-in-mare-nostrum-tour-barcelona/

33 IBSC swimmers qualify for SportExcel Junior Swimming Circuit, Grand Final 2016

Congratulations to the swimmers who have made the cut as the top 24 swimmers for each event competed at the recent Leg 1 & 2 of the SportExcel Junior Swimming Circuit 2016, held in Melaka and Shah Alam respectively.

Those who qualify for the final leg will be able to try their best to grab some medals and trophies at the forthcoming SportExcel Junior Swimming Circuit - Grand Final 2016 to be held at Kompleks Renang Kuala Lumpur on 13-14 August, 2016.

IBSC managed to secure the highest representation and the 33 IBSC swimmers eligible to participate in the Grand Final are tabled below (in alphabetical order).

Group 4 Boys	Group 4 Girls
Benjamin Soon Faliq Nazrin Ng Yi Xuan Ruwan Lee Teo Zun Jet Tobin Sia Whisky Chew	Law Li Wei Tee Boon Xi Teo Sze Hui
Group 3 Boys	Group 3 Girls
David Ong Tze Li Ng K-Yang Sharizan bin Shazali Zachary Lim Hong Sern	Ashley Ting Xin Rui Chelsea Lee Ning Ng Zi Syuen Tan Jancy Wong Ze Yi
Group 2 Boys	Group 2 Girls
Avinaash Abraham Iqmal Muqhis bin Faizal Linus Theo Dengah Low Ken Ji Ng Hung Teck Ng Kai Wen Sebastian Soon Steve Khiew	Chloe Ng Xin Chi Jaime Lim Xiao Wei Karla Lim Kay Yee Pun Pei Jin See Zhi Syuen Wong Ru Yi

Those who are in a tie position for 24th place will be required to swim-off before the start of the race on day 1.

IBSC qualifiers will be exempted from paying the entry fees.

Congratulations again to all and continue to train for the best!

See Top 24 Qualifiers List- Grand Final 2016 and Invite