National meet to pick RP tankers for Doha Asiad

Swimmers seeking spot in the national squad bound for the 2006 Doha Asian Games will have to perform well in the national selections set during the Philippine Olympic Festival June 20-26 at the Trace Aquatic Center in Los Baños, Laguna.

"The members of the junior and senior teams will be selected during the Philippine Olympic Festival next month," said Philippine Amateur Swimming Association president Mark Joseph.

Expect some 700 tankers and divers-newcomers and national team mainstay-alike from across the country to prove their worth in the event which comes less than six months before the quadrennial meet set Dec. 1-15 unfolds.

Attention, however, will focus heavily on diver Sheila Mae Perez, one of the four triple gold medalists who emerged in 23rd Manila Southeast Asian Games.

"She’s going to be there for sure," said Joseph referring to the 21-year-old Davao-born Perez, who gained celebrity status following her feat.

Joseph said those who will be selected from the event will still be deliberated upon along with some United States-based Filipinos and Fil-Ams training abroad before the PASA comes out with a final list in September.

"We will name them in September because some of our other swimmers are still training and competing in tough competitions in the US," said Joseph, who was recently named secretary-general of the Phil. Olympic Committee Festival Organizing Committee.

Miguel Molina is expected to be in the Doha-bound list thanks to his triple-gold and one-silver medal performance in the Manila SEAG along with a slew of Fil-Ams that include Jacklyn Pangilinan, Erica Totten and James Walsh.

Miguel Mendoza, who accounted for one of the four golden efforts in swimming by topping the 1,500-meter event, already announced his retirement, according to Joseph.

Aquatics was one of the most productive teams in the SEAG after it raked a total of nine golds—five in diving and four in swimming.