Dubai: The UAE swimming coach is hoping some success in this weekend's opening round of the Fina/Arena Swimming World Cup will lead to solid results in competitions later in the year.
"This competition is not the most important one for us due to the upcoming Gulf Games in Bahrain [October 11-22] and the Pan-Arab Games in Doha, Qatar [December 10-24]," Jay Benner told Gulf News yesterday.
"We had this competition in mind, but it is more of a learning curve and a stepping stone towards these regional competitions."
Led by the experienced Obaid Al Jasmi, Benner will have at least nine swimmers from his squad in the pool at the Hamdan Bin Mohammad Sports Complex where the World Cup will be held tomorrow and Saturday.
First round
The first round of this seven-leg event has attracted more than 220 swimmers from 37 countries from across the world. The championships will move on to Stockholm (October 15-16); Moscow (October 18-19); Berlin (October 22-23); Singapore (November 4-5); Beijing (November 8-9) and the final round in Tokyo (November 12-13).
"For sure, this competition is a kind of tune-up to bigger things as we come off the summer. This will be our first serious competition after our training earlier this summer," Benner said.
The UAE squad spent six weeks in Italy during the summer and the American coach said his swimmers should target improved times.
Benner has already chosen his squad for the Pan Arab Games. Al Jasmi, Mubarak Basher, Ahmad Khalfan and Mubarak Ghafri will make the trip. "We need to use a competition like this one and other World Cup events and improve ourselves so that we are primed for Bahrain and Doha," the coach added.
Al Jasmi, who has been a regular representative of the country at all major international competitions, admitted that the squad needed to test themselves against top-level competition. "This weekend is the start for us so that we can do well at the Gulf Games and then in Doha. I am very optimistic," Al Jasmi said.
Racing begins at 9am tomorrow with heats. The first finals are at 5.40pm after the official opening ceremony at 5.25pm.
