Despite swimming in three qualifying events, 19-year-old Ventura College swimmer Henry Chung came up just short of qualifying for this summer's Olympics in London.

"He gave great efforts," said Ventura coach Larry Baratte of the Pirates' triple state champion. "It's tight. That's why it's the Olympics. It's fast."

Chung, who competed in the Irvine Grand Challenge, Santa Clara Grand Prix and Hong Kong Olympic trials, was within a second of reaching Olympic qualifying standards for the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke.

"He's 19, he's very competitive and he has big goals," Baratte said of Chung. "He's got a bright, bright future

Ventura College freshman Henry Chung, attempting to qualify for this summer's London Olympics in his native country, broke the Hong Kong national record in the 100-meter backstroke Saturday at the 55th annual Hong Kong Olympic Time Trials.

Fighting the flu and fatigue from a delayed 16-hour flight from LAX, Chung swam the 100 backstroke in 57.49 seconds during the preliminaries, finishing less than a second short of the 56.59 mark needed to qualify for this summer's Games.

Chung missed the event finals with a fever, which prompted a trip to the hospital. But the 19-year-old return to swim a personal best 23.37 in the 50-meter freestyle, which is less than a half second short of both the national record and Olympic qualifying standard.

"What he did in the 100 back was remarkable," said Ventura coach Larry Baratte, who coached Chung via text message from Ventura. "He'll have a few more opportunities (to qualify) in May and June and the conditions should be much more favorable."

Chung returned to Ventura Sunday to train for this weekend's Western State Conference championships and the California Community College championships later this month.

A swimmer's primary opponent is always the clock and his own body.

Ventura College freshman Henry Chung will be uniquely reminded of those confines this weekend, as he attempts to qualify for the Olympic team in his native Hong Kong.

For the opportunity, Chung will spend roughly the same amount of time aboard planes as he will on the ground in Hong Kong -- 32 hours.

"I'll do a little bit of stretching and walk around the plane to keep my body ready for the race," said Chung, who left LAX late Thursday, will arrive in Asia Saturday morning and will return Sunday. "I might have a little jet lag, but I still think I have an opportunity to quality."

To qualify for London, Chung, 19, needs to top 22.8 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle or 56.59 in the 100-meter backstroke. His bests this season at VC are inside a second of those benchmarks.

"He's rested up and ready to go," said Ventura coach Larry Baratte. "The challenge is the flights."

Chung joins Jeff Barrett, who participated in the U.S. Olympic trials in 2008, as VC swimmers to participate in Olympic trials. Although Barrett, who will be inducted into the VC Athletic Hall of Fame next month, did so he had completed his collegiate career.

If he qualifies, Chung would become VC's first international since Sally Tuttle competed in the 1975 Pan-Am Games.

Chung has already experienced the process last quadrennial, when he was just 15. If he comes up short this weekend, he'll have more opportunities to reach the qualifying standards in May and June.

"It'll be great if he's able to quality," said Baratte, "but we have other meets that we're pointing to, as well."

Whatever the result, Chung will return Sunday to prepare for the Western State Conference championships and the California Community College championships later this month.