Putting off the Asian Swimming Championships (ASC) late next year can prove beneficial for the Philippine staging of the largest swimfest in the continent.
Asia Swimming Federation (AASF) secretary general Taha Sulaiman Al-Kishry believes that rescheduling the ASC on Nov. 7 to 17 next year would showcase the finest Asian swimmers in excellent form since they will be coming off the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“I personally think that the proposed date [of the ASC] is fitting since we will have the delegations from Asian countries properly trained for the Olympic Games. Thus, we are expecting good matches and new records,’’ said Al-Kishry in his letter to Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI) president Lailani Velasco.
Held every four years, the ASC was supposed to go off the starting blocks in December at New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac, but Velasco had pushed for its postponement due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Please be advised that AASF agrees with your decision to postpone the 11th Asian Swimming Championships. It would be unthinkable for us to continue this event at a time that the world is enduring a great hardship,’’ Al-Kishry told Velasco.
The AASF signed a partnership agreement with PSI along with the Philippine Sports Commission and Bases Conversion and Development Authority for the country’s hosting of the ASC.
The government has been utilizing the NCC Athletes Village near the aquatics center as a quarantine facility for overseas Filipino workers and suspected cases of COVID-19.For now, Velasco said the PSI would wait for the go signal of the government before proceeding with its activities.