KUCHING (Feb 26): Sarawak’s Dylan Leong, Hii Puong Wei and Welson Sim are among 23 swimmers selected to represent Malaysia at the 11th Asian Age Group Championships at the Aquatics Centre of New Clark City, the Philippines from Feb 26 to 29.

Dieung Manggang, who is head coach of the Sarawak Elite Swimming Programme, was also picked to accompany the squad.

The meet, which has attracted competitors from 32 countries, is expected to be a tall order for Malaysian swimmers, especially the younger ones, to face off against Asia’s best. Swimmers will compete in the age categories of 12-14, 15-17 and 18 and over.

“As our young swimmers are all first-timers, we won’t expect them to win medals. So, they just need to relax and swim their best. If they win medals, it’s an extra bonus for us,” Dieung remarked.

More importantly, he stressed, the younger swimmers should embrace the experience and give their best in every race. He could well be referring to less seasoned swimmers like Dylan and Puong Wei.

13-year-old Dylan has been making waves in youth and school meets at the state and national levels. It is now interesting to see how he measures up to Asia’s best in the same age group.

Puong Wei, who is 20, was already a gold medallist at the 2022 Sukma and competed at the 2022 SEA Games in Phnom Penh. His performance at this continental test will be an indicator of how far he can go in the international arena.

This year’s Asian Championships holds added significance as it doubles up as a qualifying event for the 2024 Olympics. For top national swimmers like Welson, it provides an opportunity to secure coveted spots to appear in Paris in July this year.

Welson, who will turn 27 next month, is eyeing his third Olympiad. The 2019 SEA Games gold medallist holds the national record in the 100m (49.54sec) and 200m freestyle (1:47.36s). However, he has kept a somewhat lower profile in recent years.

One reason is that the current Malaysian swimming sensation is Khiew Hoe Yean. The 21-year-old from Kuala Lumpur smashed national records in the 400m (3:48.72s), 800m (8:02.78s) and 1,500m freestyle (15:21.92s) in the last two years. The 2022 SEA Games gold medallist is eager to make his Olympic debut and looks like Malaysia’s best swimming hope to qualify for Paris.