XN000022-1985-05-13 — Page 8

MONDAY, MAY 13, 1985

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YOUNG SWIMMING, DIVING TALENT SOUGHT ******

MANY HUNDREDS OF HONG KONG'S YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO PROVE THEMSELVES IN SWIMMING, DIVING AND SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING, UNDER A COMPREHENSIVE, TERRITORY-WIDE TRAINING SCHEME TO BE STARTED SHORTLY.

THE IDEA OF THE PROGRAMME IS TO SEARCH OUT AND DEVELOP YOUNG PEOPLE'S TALENTS IN THESE AQUATIC SPORTS SO AS TO PREPARE THEM FOR EVENTUAL PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS.

+ IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE ORGANISING SPORTS PROGRAMMES ON SUCH A COMPREHENSIVE SCALE,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

THE SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICES SECTION OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH IS ORGANISING THE SCHEME, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HONG KONG AMATEUR SWIMMING ASSOCIATION, THE HONG KONG SWIMMING TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION, THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL.

IN THE SWIMMING SECTION OF THE SCHEME, A 10-MONTH LONG DEVELOPMENT COURSES WILL BE OFFERED TO SOMÉ 2 000 YOUTHS BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHT AND 15, DIVIDED INTO THREE STAGES,

PARTICIPANTS WILL START FROM STAGE ONE AND, AFTER PASSING QUALIFYING TESTS, WILL PROGRESS ON TO STAGE TWO FOR +BRONZE SQUAD+ TRAINING, AND THEN STAGE THREE+SILVER SQUAD+ TRAINING.

OUTSTANDING SWIMMERS COMPLETING THE THIRD STAGE WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE AGE-GROUP SWIMMING COMPETITION.

ANOTHER COURSE IS IN THE RELATIVELY NEW SPORT OF SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING, WHICH WILL BE OPEN TO MORE THAN 500 PERSONS ABOVE THE AGE OF 12.

BASIC TECHNIQUES WILL BE TAUGHT IN THE ELEMENTARY TRAINING AND INTERMEDIATE TRAINING CLASSES TO BE HELD FROM THIS MONTH TILL OCTOBER.

THE COURSE WILL END IN A COMPETITION, FROM WHICH THE MOST TALENTED SWIMMERS WILL BE CHOSEN FOR FURTHER TRAINING.

AND A COURSE IN DIVING WILL BE INTRODUCED FOR 700 YOUTHS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 35, ALSO FROM THIS MONTH UNTIL OCTOBER.

AFTER ELEMENTARY AND INTERMEDIATE TRAINING, THEY WILL TAKE PART IN A DIVING COMPETITION TO GAIN EXPERIENCE.

/AS THE