National swim team tryouts set

Even without competitive pool time for almost two years, Philippine team aspirants across the country will scramble for national team spots in the Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI) Swimming National Selection (SNS) Bubble at New Clark City Aquatics Center on Oct. 22 to Oct. 24.There are 75 swimmers looking for PH team spots as the country prepares to participate in four big events for the next 11 months beginning with the 2021 Fina (International Swimming Federation) World Swimming Championships (25 meters) on Dec. 15 to Dec. 20 in Abu Dhabi.

The country also sees action in the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, on May 13 to May 29, as well as next year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, from Sept. 10 to Sept. 25.

The SEA Games Federation and its 11 member-countries will announce on Monday the exact schedules of the meet together with host Vietnam.

Only local swimmers were able to sign up for the SNS Bubble as foreign-based swimmers will face the challenge of a costly and long quarantine upon arrival in the country that will hinder them from properly preparing for the tryouts.

Swim association president Lailani Velasco explained that all PSI swimmers, whether local or foreign-based, can participate in various events being held all over the world as long as they are sanctioned or recognized by Fina for their respective times to be accepted. INQ