Rehan confident of putting up good performance in Beijing

Bangalore, Jul 9 (UNI) Ace swimmer Rehan Poncha has expressed confidence of putting up a good performance in the Beijing Olympics, beginning on August eight.

''I will definitely give my 100 per cent at the Beijing Games,'' said Rehan, in reply to felicitation by the Basavanagudi Acquatic Club on being qualified for the Olympics 2008, here last night.

Rehan, for whom it was a dream come true, met the Olympics qualifying mark of 2:01.40 in the 200 m Butterfly event at the Telstra Grand Prix II meet in Sydney on July 5.

''In fact I was a bit disappointed after failing to meet the qualifying mark in the Heats. For me, Heats was like the final.

Though I missed the chance by 0.6 secs, my coach Pradeep Kumar encouraged me not to give up.'' Pradeep, expressing confidence in his ward improving his timing, said ''Rehan has the potentiality and I am confident that he will put up a brave fight.'' Rehan said at one time in 2000, he had decided to give up swimming profession due to failure in number of events, but ''my determination not to give up but to face the challenge and come out successfully has fetched fruits. I thank my parents and coach Pradeep sir, who encouraged me throughout.'' Pradeep said ''though Rehan had committed some minor mistakes, I am sure he would correct it and prove his supremacy at the Beijing Olympics.'' UNI MSP MV ROY AB CS1312