T

he Indonesian Aquatic Association (PRSI) is seeking to have at least one of its six youth swimmers to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games through the event's key qualifying event, the Singapore National Age Group Championships, in the neighboring country next week.

"I believe it should be easy for Fibriani *Ratna Marita* to qualify in the girl's 200 meter individual medley as her personal best is six seconds faster than the qualification cut-off," national swimming coach Albert C. Sutanto told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Fibriani finished fourth in the finals of the 200 meter individual medley at December's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos, clocking a time of 02.21,00.

The Youth Olympic Games qualification time standard for the girl's event is 02.26,97.

Fibriani will take part in four events, including the 200 meter individual medley, 200 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly and 200 meter backstroke at the Singapore National Age Group Championship on Mar. 17-21, which serves as a qualifier for the inaugural Youth Olympics that will also be held in the country on Aug. 14-26.

Besides 16-year-old Fibriani, PRSI will send four other girls: Afi Noviandari, Patrisia Yosita, Ressa Kania Dewi, and Yessy V. Yossaputra, and one boy, Pratama Siahaan. Only swimmers who were born between January 1992 and December 1994 can participate in the qualifier.

The team will depart to Singapore on Tuesday next week.

"Yosita and Afi also have a good chance to qualify as each of them have posted times inside the qualifying limit. Hopefully they stay in shape during the tournament," said Albert.

Afi timed 01.14,37 in the 100 meter breaststroke women's event at the Laos SEA Games, while Yosita timed 00.59,25 for the 100 meter freestyle women's event at the Indonesian Inter-Club Swimming Championships (KRAPSI) last year.

Meanwhile, Yessy recorded 02.21,43 in the girls' 200 meter backstroke at the Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (AASF) Championships in Japan last year, is three seconds inside the Youth Olympics' limit.

All six youth swimmers had actually passed the Youth Olympics qualifier limits in various com-petitions last year including the SEA Games in Laos, the Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (AASF) Championships in Japan, and the local KRAPSI, and Indonesia Open.

"However, none of the competitions are registered as qualifying events for the Youth Olympics," said Albert.

"Fortunately, PRSI can get a dispensation for passing the entry date of the qualifier in Singapore," added team manager Hartadi Nurtjojo.

A team can send a maximum of two girls and two boys who meet the qualification time standard to the Youth Olympics.