By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

NMI swimmers Rezne Wong, Cooper Graf and Sarah Johnson will be leaving for Melbourne, Australia this Friday to compete in the 12th FINA World Championships.
The three swimmers from Saipan the Swim Club will be joined by SSC coach Michael Stewart, who in an earlier interview with the Variety said he is hoping that the three winners will post new personal best times in the FINA meet.
Wong will be competing in 10 events, namely the 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m frestyle events, 50m, 100 and 200m breaststroke, 100m butterfly and 200m and the 400m individual medley.
Graf will only be joining freestyle events. He is entered in the 50m, 100m, 200m, 800m and 1500m swims.
Johnson will be competing in the 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle swims and 50m and 100m backstroke.
The three NMI swimmers are coming off an impressive performance in the SSC International Invitational Swim two weeks ago and have been training regularly at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.
Wong ruled the boys’ 15 to 18 age group prevailing in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle, 100m and 200m breaststroke, 100m and 200m backstroke and 100m butterfly events.
Johnson topped the 50, 100, 200 and 800m freestyle and 100m backstroke swims and Graf dominated the 100m and 200m freestyle and 200m backstroke events.
This year’s FINA Championships will be a preview of the 2008 Beijing Olympics with 173 countries participating, breaking the previous record of 157 nations in 2003 in Barcelona.
Africa and the Americans have 36 countries each participating, Asia has 39, Oceania has 13 and Europe has 49.
The meet will run from March 25 to April 23 at the Rod Laver Arena.
China has the most entries with 109, followed by the US with 95, Australia (93) and Russia (89).
A total of 2,195 athletes and 1,455 officials will be in Melbourne for the eight-day meet.