Selection policy tweaked ahead of major Games.

SINGAPORE - Last year, the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) announced that it would use a one-off qualifying meet to select swimmers for last month's South-east Asia (SEA) Games in Myanmar.

It was a departure from the qualifying window used by the SSA in the past, but was in line with top swimming nations such as the United States.

One year on, the national sports association has tweaked its selection policy for this year's Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Instead of a single qualifying meet, where the top two swimmers will be selected if they meet the qualifying times, the SSA will compare swimmers' timings from last month's SEA Games and the Singapore National Age-Group Championships (NAG) in March before selecting the team for the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Glasgow from July 23 to Aug 3.

ASIAN GAMES

For the Asian Games, which will be held in the South Korean city of Incheon from Sept 19 to Oct 4, the top two finishers at the NAG will be selected if they meet the respective "A" qualifying marks.

Swimmers have a second opportunity to fill the vacant slots if they make the "A" marks at the South-east Asia Swimming Championships here in June, after which the SSA will fill the slots with "B" qualifiers.

Overseas-based swimmers may use results from a pre-determined sanctioned meet for selection.

Said Turner: "Looking back on last year, it was worth noting that Meagan (Lim), who wasn't selected in the main selection trials, clinched three bronze medals at the SEA Games.

"We want to give everyone, especially those based overseas and those serving National Service, an equal opportunity during selection. "In a nation like Singapore, where we don't have enough depth in quality swimmers, we need to do what we can to protect the good swimmers.

"We cannot afford to do without them."