The Thailand National Swim Championships, also the 2016 Olympic trials, recently took place over a five day competition from the 1-5 April 2016, at Assumption University in Bangkok.
British International School Phuket’s BISP JSA Swim Academy sent two Thai swimmers to the event whilst the majority of the school academy team traveled south for the Malaysian National Age Group Championships.
Phiangkhwan Pawapotako (Eing) and Naipaporn Vorawech (Penny) competed over the full five days, racking up seven personal best times, one National Record, a Second Place High Point Trophy for Eing, and the 3rd Place Top Female Club Team award.
BISP JSA Swim Academy Head Coach Simon Jones says, “Penny Vorawech is showing great signs of a resurgence in her swimming under the guidance of BISP JSA Swim Academy Performance Coach Colin Braund.”
“Penny was a medalist at the South East Asia (SEA) Age Championships several years ago for Team Thailand, and is clawing her way back up the rankings in the Backstroke and 200-800m Freestyle events.”
“Penny’s times of 31.7, 1min 07.3 and 2min 27.5 in the backstroke events and 2min 14.2, 4min 45.0 and 9min 42.2 in the Freestyle events has brought her back into contention for medals at the age group level in her home country.”
In her races, Eing Pawapotako raced to 5 Golds, 2 Personal Bests and a National Record courtesy of a 1min 10.70 in the 100m Breaststroke. Eing also swam to 2min 17.3 in the 200m IM, 2min 32.0 in the 200m Brst, 33.3 in the 50m event and 4min 55 in the 400m IM (off her 4min 48 National Record).
Her swims netted 2 Olympic B qualifying standards and she is now left to wait for Thailand Swimming to decide upon her fate in the lead up to Olympic nominations.
After the event Eing said, “I am very happy with my swims and I am encouraged even more to achieve the ‘A’ qualifying standard in 200m and 400m IM before this summer’s Olympics.
“Regardless of selection or not, I will use the training and my performances this past competition to build upon over the coming year. My aim is to become Thailand’s leading swimmer, and inspire others to join me and lead Thai swimming back to the top in Southeast Asia”.
BISP JSA Head Coach and also Thailand National Head Coach, Simon Jones, said of his charges: “For Penny this was an excellent meet, with all swims personal bests. She has been at BISP for less than a year now and we are already seeing her race back to fine form in the Backstroke and Freestyle events.”
“Our aim is to bring her to a level where she is competing at a medal-winning level for the South East Asian Age Group Championships, and then springboard her into the senior selective events for her country.
“For Eing, this was an extremely high pressure meet considering the Olympic A standard was a requirement to secure her attendance at the Summer Games.
‘Whilst breaking the 100m Breaststroke National Record, we expected the times to be faster, and she happened to miss the National Records in the 50m and 200m Breaststroke and the 200m IM all by fractions of a second.
“I am very happy and proud of how she conducted herself over the five-day meet and know that the benefits of her increased training and motivation this year stand her in good stead for the rest of the year and following season.
“For the girls to come away with the first place runners up trophy was an unexpected bonus!”
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For more information about the BISP JSA Swim Academy, visit bisphuket.ac.th/swimming, follow the team’s Facebook page at facebook.com/swimphuket, or contact Head Coach Simon Jones: aquatics@bisphuket.ac.th
British International School, Phuket’s BISP JSA Swim Academy is now accepting candidates for 2016/2017 Sports Scholarships. For more information, email aquatics@bisphuket.ac.th or apply online at: bisphuket.ac.th/sports-scholarships
The above press release was submitted to Swimming World by our partner BISP.