ByEdwin Rollon
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – A flurry of new records fell anew in the pool even as hometown hero Christian Isaiah Lagnason suffered a heartbreaking disqualification on the penultimate day of the 2025 Batang Pinoy National Finals on Thursday at the Acharon Swimming Center here.
Von Andrei Pinnon of Rizal ruled the boys’ 12–13 100m backstroke with a time of 1:03.50, eclipsing the previous record of 1:04.30 set by Arvin Naeem Taguinota last year.
Malabon’s Sophia Rose Garra, who trains under Olympian Jenny Guerrero, reset her own mark in the girls’ 12–13 100m backstroke with a winning time of 1:06.60, improving from her previous 1:08.77.
Pasig’s Roland Aaron Seprado also etched his name in the record books after clocking 1:02.49 in the boys’ 14–15 100m backstroke, shattering the 1:03.73 standard set last year by John Villanueva.
In another highlight, Benjamin Jose De Mesa of Bataan improved on his own record in the boys’ 14–15 200m butterfly, touching in 2:15.69 to edge Pasig’s Mark Perez (2:15.79) and Manila’s Aishel Evangelista (2:16.79).
Quezon City’s Liv Abigail Florendo joined the record-breaking spree by ruling the girls’ 14–15 200m butterfly with 2:31.79, narrowly surpassing the 2:32.12 mark set by SEA Games-bound Kyle Louise Bulaga last year.
Patricia Mae Santor, meantime, captured her sixth swimming medal to help Team Manila within reach for the swimming title.
Santor, a University of Santo Tomas student and member of the East Ilustre Club of the Philippine Aquatics, Inc., ruled the girls’ 16–17 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:23.37 — nearly 11 seconds ahead of Ormoc City’s Denise Mariae Estrera and 12 seconds clear of teammate Sinagtala Cuevas.
Santos then anchored Manila composed of Kristine Jane Uy, Eliana Isabel Rodriguez and Jamie Aica Summer Sy in the 4x50-meter freestyle relay, posting a new meet record of 1:55.42.
The two-time member of the Ph Team in the SEA Age Group Championships earlier dominated the girls’ 12–17 200-meter individual medley, as well as in the girls’ 16–17 50-meter and 100-meter butterfly events. Santor also took silver in the girls’ 200-meter breaststroke.
But the day's drama focused on Lagnason, whose attempt for a fourth gold medal ended in heartbreak when officials disqualified him in the boys' 12-13 butterfly event for a false start.
Despite an appeal from his camp, the technical committee, headed by Philippine Aquatics Inc. (PAI) technical chief Richard Gonzales Luna, upheld the decision after a careful video review.
“It’s disappointing, but we have to accept the official decision,” said the 13-year-old Lagnason, who earlier broke three records in the tournament.
Lagnason, however, still has a chance to redeem himself as he anchors General Santos City’s relay team in the final day of swimming action on Thursday at the same venue.
