THE eight-man Philippine junior open swimming team left Manila on Thursday to participate in the 11th Asian Open Water Championships set for November 8-10 in Hong Kong, China.
The Nationals, picked through an open national tryout last July, will be bannered by rising star and Davao City pride Paolo Miguel Labanon from Mapua Malayan College Mindanao, schoolmate Rafael Miguel Cruz, Roy Angelo Rodriguez from Kabacan Wesleyan Academy, Inc. in North Cotabato and Eirron Seth Vibar of the University of the Philippines comprising the men’s team.
The women’s squad comprises One Ilocos Sur Swimming Club top athlete Graziella Sophia Ato of Great Height Learning Center, Athena Shannessa Chang for the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Athea Margarette Lagunay from Little Me Academy of Cagayan de Oro City and Hannah Drelyn Sanchez from the Dela Salle University.
The team is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Mad Wave Philippines owned by Jose Ronaldo Vibar.
“This is the first time PAI will send a delegation in the Open Water competition. Aside from gaining experience for our athletes, this trip proves that PAI is working hard for the development not only of traditional swimming but in all aquatic disciplines,” said PAI Executive Director Anthony Reyes.
Just recently, the PAI sent a 16-man delegation for the World Cup Qualifying Series in Incheon, South Korea, and Singapore where Xiandi Chua got an additional event slot for the World Cup slated December 10-15 in Budapest, Hungary, while Joshua Ang, Rian Marco Adiong Tirol and Fil-Am Miranda Renner establishing new Philippine record.
The 20-year-old Ang registered 53.65 seconds in the men’s 100m butterfly; Tirol made the mark in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 27.56 seconds, while the 21-year-old Renner etching her name in the women’s 50m butterfly clocking 26.75 seconds.
The 24-year-old Chua, a senior student at De La Salle University taking up Business Entrepreneur, already secured a slot in the World Cup in the 400m Individual Medley with a time of 4:45.41 she registered in the 2024 Australian Short Course Swimming Championships last September in Adelaide, Australia.
Vietnam (2022) SEA Games gold medalist Chloe Isleta is joining Chua for the World Cup with two QTB marks –1: O1.59 in the women’s 100m Individual Medley and 59.80 seconds in 100m backstroke -- she earned while campaigning in the Puerto Rico International Short Course Championship last month.
The junior squad comprised of 12 swimmers is set to participate in the SEA Age Championships skated December 1-5 in Bangkok, Thailand.
