PUTTING premium on quality over quantity, Philippine Aquatics wants only 44 swimmers to comprise the National Junior Team that will compete against the best of Asia in the 11th Asian Age Group Swimming Championship set Dec. 3-6 at the New Clark Aquatic Center in Capas, Tarlac.
Only eight boys and eight girls will be selected in the 12-14 and 15-17 age group categories, while only six boys and six girls will comprise the 18-over class, according to tournament director Chito Rivera.
The swimmers will be selected from the two National tryouts — the recently completed Dahunog Swim Fest (for the Visayas and Mindanao qualification) in Dipolog City and the Manila leg set Oct. 13-15 at the Teofilo Ildefonso Swimming Pool of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex organized by the Philippine Aquatics headed by President Miko Vargas and Secretary-General and Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain.
“The best way to select the best swimmers for the Philippine Team is through a national tryout. We did this during the SEA Age Group selection last August and the results are very satisfying. Our 18-man team won a total of 16 medals, including two golds, in that regional tournament,” said Buhain, a swimming icon and Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer.
