Friday, Jul 23, 2004
By Roger Horne

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (BP)--Felix Sutanto, a recent graduate of California Baptist University and a two-time NAIA swimmer of the year, will compete at the upcoming Athens Olympics for his native Indonesia. He is currently qualified for a spot in the 200 individual medley event.

This will be Sutanto's second time in the Olympics. At the 2000 Sydney Games, he competed in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.

"It's so great to be going back to the Olympics," Sutanto said. "I'm proud of myself because I finished school, my wife and I had our baby, and I was still able to make it. I didn't think I could do it all at the same time. I'd get up to practice in the morning, and I never had enough sleep. I'm really, really happy."

Additionally, CBU assistant coach Lisa Siregar will travel to her fourth Olympic Games as a coach for Indonesia.

Indonesia can send one swimmer in each event to the Olympics, as long as he or she has met the Olympic qualifying time. Sutanto is Indonesia's No. 1-ranked swimmer in the 100 free, 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM.

However, Sutanto has only met the Olympic qualifying time in the 200 IM. He went 2:07.63 at a recent meet in Riverside. He hopes to attain a qualifying time in the 100 back at a meet in Indonesia.

"It's really exciting because Felix is the first athlete from our aquatics program to compete in the Olympics," CBU Coach Rick Rowland said. "We knew he had competed in the Olympics before he transferred here. We helped him get back into shape and back into a high level of swimming, and he's maintained that. He got ready for the Olympics and we're really happy for him."

Sutanto graduated from CBU with a degree in business administration on May 1. He and his wife had their first boy, Keiden, two days later.

Sutanto was the men's Most Outstanding Swimmer at both the 2002 and 2003 NAIA Championships. He was a 16-time NAIA All-American who won six individual titles and was part of two first-place relay teams. He finished his career holding three NAIA records. Sutanto was an assistant coach for CBU in 2003-04 while he completed his degree.
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