By Edwin Rollon
Local bets Billie Blu Mondonedo, Maxene Hayley Uy, Sophie Rose Garra, and Liv Abigail Florendo share the limelight with their illustrious homegrown and Filipino-foreign breed competitors on Sunday at the close of the Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) 50-meter-long course National Trials at the crowded Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in Malate, Manila.
The 17-year-old, Mondonedo, a Filipino-American born and raised in Manila and currently hooked at the FTW Royals Swim Club, fortified her inclusion for the Philippine Team with an astonishing performance in the girls' 16-18 100-meter freestyle clocking 56.64 shuttering the SEA Age Qualifying Time Standard (QTS) of 58.41.
The Sandpiper Nevada in Southern California-trained bested her teammate Arabella Nadeen Taguinota (1:01.13) and Asian Age Group Championship campaigner Trixie Ortiguerra of Tarlac Mako (1:01.62) to claim her third QTS gold medals in the event served as selection for members of the Philippine Team set to participate in the international tournament including the SEA Age Group tilt in December in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mondonedo completed her mastery in the freestyle with previous victories in the 50-meter (26.48) bettering the QTS of 27.05 and 200-m (2:08.34) eclipsing the 2:09.09 standard time in the four-day event backed by Speedo, Pocari Sweat and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)
“It’s a dream come true. One step at a time, until I reach my goal to compete in a high-level competition, hopefully, the Olympics in the future,” said Mondonedo.
Also shone brightest among the local hopefuls are Uy, Garra, and Florendo who make it to the training pool with respectable showing in their respective classes after failing to score big in the first three days of competition.
The 15-year-old Uy of the NOGCC Team topped the girls' 14-15 50-m backstroke clocking 31.15 seconds to better the 31.36 QTS; Garra claimed her place in the team by breaking the QTS of 1:09.52 in the girls-11-13 100-m back with a time of 1:08.98; and Florendo came out big in the girls 11-13 200-m fly shuttering the QTS (1:09.52) with a time of 1:08.98.
“We’re happy to see some unfamiliar names breaking the standard time in the Trials. This proves that PAI swimming club members are seriously adopting the training program we crafted and distributed throughout our regional areas. We will review the results, para makita rin natin na puwedeng maisama sa pool yung ibang gold medalist na walang QTS but very potential,” said PAI Secretary-General Batangas 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain.
Filipino-American Gian Santos sweeps his six-event, all-QTS-breaking performance after winning the boys 16-18 100-m freestyle at 50.70, almost three seconds off the 53.01 QTS and 400-m IM (4:31.33) shuttering the 4:34.89 QTS.
The incoming freshman at Columbian University in New York also broke QTS in the 400-m free (4:07.74) at 4:01.26; 200-m IM (2:11.87) at 2:05.99; 200-m free (1:55.45) at 1:51.39 and 200-m breast (2:22.78) at 2:18.30).
Homegrown star Jamesray Ajido became the winningest swimmer collecting eight gold medals on top of three QTS performances after closing out his campaign with victory in the boys 14-15 50-meter butterfly (25.68) breaking the QTS of 25.97, and the 100-m free (54.32). The Asian Age Group Champion was also victorious in the 100-m backstroke (1:01.01), 200-m Individual Medley (2:12.57), 50-m backstroke (28,57), 200-m freestyle (2:02.35), and 100-m butterfly (56.25) breaking the QTS (57.47), while matching the QTS of 24.64 in the 50-m free.
Fil-Am Alexander George Eichler, Alberto Amaro of San Beda, and Reinniel Trinidad of Killerwhale Swim broke the 25.92 QTS in the boys 16-18 50-m fly clocking, 25.22, 25.62, and 25.82, respectively. This was the third QTS for Eichler who also won the 100-m fly (55.50/57.07) and 200-m fly (2:06.79/2:06.83), while Ava Samantha Bautista earned her ticket to the National Team with victory in the girls 16-18 50-m fly (28.10), breaking the 28.46 QTS.
Also shoo-in in the Philippine Team by breaking QTS are Albert Amaro in the boys 16-18 50-m free (24.06/24.35) and 100-m fly (56.91/57.07); Shania Joy Bataquiel in the girls 16-18 100-m fly (1:02.83/1:03.13); Ava Samantha Bautista in the girls 16-18 100-m fly (1:02.83/1:03.13); Ryian Zach Belen in the boys 16-18 50-m free (24.19/24.35); Riannah Chantelle Coleman in the girls 14-15 50-m breast (33.96/33.98), 200-m breast (2:43.55/2:45.54), and 100-m breast (1:14.12/1:14.50);
Jaydison Edrel Dacuycuy in the boys 14-15 50-m breast (30.39/30.72); Peter Dean in the boys 16-18 200-m back (2:12.39); Fil-Mongolian Enkhmend Enkhmend in the boys 14-15 50-m breast (30.60/30.72); 200-m breast (2:24.19/2:24.49) and 100-m breast (1:06.49/1:06.99); Ivo Inot in the boys 16-18 100-m back (58.84/59.21) and 50-m back (27.24/27.38); Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh in the girls 16-18 breast (2:40.27/2:40.42) and 200-m fly (2:19.58/2:20.79); and Reinielle Mikos Trinidad in the boys 16-18 100-m fly (56.81/57.07).
Other gold medalist sans QTS in the final day are Jasmine Mojdeh in the girls 400-m IM (5:13.40); Richard Navo in the boys 11-13 100-meter free (59.42); Miguel Barreto (19-over, 51.53); Anika Kathryn Matiling in the girls 11-13 100-m free (1:03.00); Nuche Veronica Ibit (14-15, 1:01.59); Alyza Ng (19-over, 1;01.07); Arvin Taguinota in the boys 11-13 200-m backstroke (2:20.39), Joshua Par (19-over, 2:09.81); Catherine Cruz in the girls 16-18 200m back (2:29.13); Mishka Sy (19-over. 2:26.51);
Kyla Bulaga in the girls 14-15 200-m freestyle (2:28.92) and 800-m free (9:45.56); Shairinne Floriano (19-over, 2:23.84); Mohammad Mojdeh in the boys 11-13 200m butterfly (2:20.84); Rodevic Gonzalvo (14-15, 2:11.77); Juan Marco Daos (19-over, 2:07.99); Makayla Fetalvero in the girls 11-13 800-m free (10:06.80); Kacie Gabrielle Tionko (16-18, 10:03.51); Ricielle Maleeka Melencio (19-over, 10:09.60); Delljohn Edem in the boys 11-13 800-m free (10;00.22); Aishel Evangelista (14-15, 9:00.07); Paolo Miguel Labanon (16-18, 8:50.24) and Joshua Del Rio (19-over, 9:00.86), Nicola Diamante in the girls 11-13 50-m fly (30.82).
For the complete results, visit http//www.Philippine Aquatics, Inc. website and official Facebook page.
