KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia sent 33 athletes to compete in individual sports at the Beijing Olympics four years ago and that feat could be repeated again in London if the swimmers play their part in the Malaysian Open starting at the National Aquatic Centre in Bukit Jalil today.
So far, 27 athletes from seven sports have qualified for the London Games. They are diving (9), badminton (six), cycling (five) and archery (four) while fencing, shooting and weightlifting will have one representative each.
Five swimmers have made the Olympic invitational time but their participation will be subject to them remaining in the rankings list compiled by FINA, the sport’s governing body, until July 3.
A country can field one swimmer for each individual discipline if they make the cut from the Olympic invitational time – previously known as the B time.
A country can field two swimmers per event if both of them make the Olympic selection time, which is considered the A time.
The Malaysian swimmers who have dipped under the Olympic invitational time thus far are Khoo Cai Lin (400m freestyle), Chui Lai Kwan (50m freestyle), Christina Loh (100m breaststroke), Siow Yi Ting (100m and 200m breaststroke) and Kevin Yeap (1,500m freestyle).
After the Malaysian Open, the swimmers can make a trip down south for further attempts at qualifying as Singapore will be hosting the inaugural South-East Asian Open championships and their national championships next month.
In the worse case scenario, the Malaysian contingent will still breach the 30-mark as swimming, like athletics, will provide two wild cards (one man and one woman) to a country in the event none of their athletes qualify on merit.
National swimming coach Paul Birmingham is optimistic that option need not be utilised. He said it was all about the swimmers improving their times to boost their chances of staying inside the rankings from now on.
“The system in place makes it harder this time as, previously, the swimmers who beat the B time were certain of making the cut.
“Now, they want to make sure that the field is not more than 900-strong and the swimmers who beat the invitational time will not know until four weeks before the Olympics whether they have made the grade,” said Birmingham.
He added the Malaysian Open should provide good competition for the swimmers with participation from 12 foreign teams.
The heats take place in the morning followed by the finals from 5pm.
THE STAR
So far, 27 athletes from seven sports have qualified for the London Games. They are diving (9), badminton (six), cycling (five) and archery (four) while fencing, shooting and weightlifting will have one representative each.
Five swimmers have made the Olympic invitational time but their participation will be subject to them remaining in the rankings list compiled by FINA, the sport’s governing body, until July 3.
A country can field one swimmer for each individual discipline if they make the cut from the Olympic invitational time – previously known as the B time.
A country can field two swimmers per event if both of them make the Olympic selection time, which is considered the A time.
The Malaysian swimmers who have dipped under the Olympic invitational time thus far are Khoo Cai Lin (400m freestyle), Chui Lai Kwan (50m freestyle), Christina Loh (100m breaststroke), Siow Yi Ting (100m and 200m breaststroke) and Kevin Yeap (1,500m freestyle).
After the Malaysian Open, the swimmers can make a trip down south for further attempts at qualifying as Singapore will be hosting the inaugural South-East Asian Open championships and their national championships next month.
In the worse case scenario, the Malaysian contingent will still breach the 30-mark as swimming, like athletics, will provide two wild cards (one man and one woman) to a country in the event none of their athletes qualify on merit.
National swimming coach Paul Birmingham is optimistic that option need not be utilised. He said it was all about the swimmers improving their times to boost their chances of staying inside the rankings from now on.
“The system in place makes it harder this time as, previously, the swimmers who beat the B time were certain of making the cut.
“Now, they want to make sure that the field is not more than 900-strong and the swimmers who beat the invitational time will not know until four weeks before the Olympics whether they have made the grade,” said Birmingham.
He added the Malaysian Open should provide good competition for the swimmers with participation from 12 foreign teams.
The heats take place in the morning followed by the finals from 5pm.
THE STAR
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