KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aquatics (MAS) plans to get two more coaches due to a bigger pool of swimmers.
MAS vice president Marilyn Chua said that one of the coaches is from Denmark and the other is a local.
"We hope to get everything done as soon as possible, because the team is getting bigger and we need more coaches in," said the former national swimmer after a working committee meeting at the National Sports Council (NSC) today.
Marilyn added that teenage star Muhammad Dhuha Zulfikry has been promoted to the Podium Programme from the national backup squad.
The 16-year-old has had a sensational year, winning six gold medals at the Sarawak Malaysia Games in August and breaking four meet records.
Dhuha also rewrote Jeffery Ong's 35-year-old record in the men's 1,500m freestyle at the Shanghai World Cup in October.
The Kuala Lumpur-born Dhuha also became the first Malaysian swimmer to dip under the 15-minute mark for the event.
Besides Dhuha, Chui Lai Kwan and Hii Puong Wei will also be joining the Podium Programme, but on a part-time basis.
"Because of their older age, they are unable to train fulltime, but they will still enjoy the facilities of the NSC.
"They get to go to competitions but are not required to train full time at our National Training Centre.
"But they have to commit to a plan that has been discussed with the national coach and technical director. However, they will not be receiving full benefits in terms of allowances," Marilyn added.
Lai Kwan, 35, was a gold medallist at the 2007 Korat Sea Games in the 50m freestyle. The Sabahan broke her own national record at the Singapore leg of the short-course World Cup last month.
She rewrote her own mark of 25.64s in the 50m freestyle by posting 25.58s.
With the addition of Dhuha, there will be 10 Podium swimmers, while the presences of Lai Kwan and Puong Wei mean there will be four part-timers (including
Welson Sim and Chan Jie).