KUALA LUMPUR – National swimmer Arvin Shaun Singh faces an uphill task as he prepares to compete in the New South Wales Swimming Championship (NSWSC) in March, aiming to achieve the best qualifying time for this year’s Paris Olympics.
The 23-year-old swimmer, with a personal best of 49.47s in the 100m freestyle category, needs to clock 48.34s to automatically qualify (category A) for the world’s biggest multisport event.
The versatile swimmer, who has excelled in events like Sukma and the SEA Games, also has an opportunity to qualify for the Olympics by achieving a time of 48.56s, meeting Olympic Consideration Time (OCT) criteria.
Athletes considered under OCT are evaluated based on their rankings and competition performance.
To be in the eyes of the OCT (category B), swimming athletes need to be in the top 30 rankings globally.
Arvin has been ranked 35th in the world since December of last year, according to the World Aquatics Federation rankings.
The swimmer expressed confidence in achieving the required timing for his maiden Olympics, drawing on lessons learned from competing in last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games.
During the Asian Games, Arvin finished fifth in the 4x200m freestyle relay with Khiew Hoe Yean, Tan Khai Xin, and Lim Yin Chuen, clocking 7m and 22.8s.
“Participating in the Asian Games has taught me a lot about the aspects I need to improve in my game to compete with some of the best in the world. I have been working vigorously with my coaches on improving my strength and agility, hoping to keep getting better in the days to come.
“My goal for this year is to push myself in the 100m freestyle category and qualify for the Olympics on merit, either by clocking the best timing in category A and B, and I believe that I can do it.
“Besides travelling to Australia for the NSWSC tournament, I’m also planning to give my 100% in other confirmed tournaments, such as the Malaysia Open Swimming Championships in May and the 2024 Australian Swimming Trials in June,” said Arvin.
At the same time, Arvin emphasised that he does not view anyone as a threat in the sport, instead aiming to uplift Malaysia’s image on the global stage through his athletic feats.
“Swimming is not like other sports where they compete with the aim to destroy their opponents. We are very different; we are friends with our opponents, and we always motivate each other to do better with the aim of standing on the podium together.
“In swimming, we don’t envy our opponents. Since we are all friends, I will consider their win as my win, and they always consider my victory as theirs.
“My biggest competitor is myself and not anyone else. Every morning when I wake up, I will always look at myself and ask what I can improve for the day.
“I’m a natural competitor, and I look up to athletes like Conor McGregor and Manny Pacquiao. My goal is to one day put Malaysia on the map in swimming like how they did it through their sports,” Arvin added.
Arvin, who also has experience in men’s 200m individual medley, 4x100m, and 4x200m freestyle relay, holds a total of 4 medals (3 silvers and 1 bronze) in the SEA Games since making his debut in the 2019 edition in Manila.
The Kuala Lumpur-born athlete also showcased his talent when he won the 50m men’s backstroke at the 2022 Sukma games with a time of 26.94s.
The 2024 Olympics is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11. – January 29, 2024
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