Malaysia sending smaller swimming squad to SEA Games

National swimmers Khoo Cai Lin (left) and Daniel Bego, winners at the 2013 Myanmar SEA Games, will compete at the Singapore Games in June. - Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will have a smaller group of swimmers compared to their main rivals at the Singapore SEA Games in June.

The Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) have named 17 participants – nine men and eight women – for the Games.

Multiple SEA Games gold medallist Daniel Bego will lead the men’s squad. The others are Welson Sim, Wong Fu Kang, Lim Ching Hwang, Kevin Yeap, Tern Jian Han, Shaun Yap, Vernon Lee and Alywn Tan.

Christina Loh, the United States-based breaststroke specialist, will head the women’s team. Khoo Cai Lin, Erika Kong, Yap Siew Hui, Chui Lai Kwan, Phee Jinq En, Angela Chieng and Carolyn Chan are the others selected.

Four swimmers – Alwyn, Angela, Carolyn and Jinq En – will be making their debuts.

Seasoned campaigners Yap See Tuan, Ian James Barr, Asmalia Filzati Redzuan and Nadia Adrianna Redza all failed to make the squad.

Asum acting secretary Mae Chen said they would be happy to maintain the four-gold haul from the 2013 Myanmar Games.

“All those going are capable of bringing home medals. I believe there could be some surprises as some of them did pretty fast times at the recent Malaysian Open.

“But we do not want to be over confident at this point as we don’t know how our rivals are doing,” said Mae.

At the Myanmar Games, Christina won the 100m and 200m breaststroke golds. Daniel (400m freestyle) and Cai Lin (800m freestyle) contributed one gold each.