Manese, Colaste earn Aussie swim grants

MANILA, Philippines — From a pool of 60 young swimmers who attended the maiden Philippine leg of the AirAsia-Ben Proud’s Talent Pool program emerged two aspirants who will soon get to train with the British world champion himself in Gold Coast, Australia.

James Dominic Manese, a 14-year-old find from Bulacan, and Kara Colaste, a 16-year-old swimmer from San Beda Alabang, stood out among the Pinoy trainees in the clinic conducted by AquaElite coaches British Olympian Antony James and Malta national tanker Matthew Zammit and earned training stints in Australia.

“I expect to come out of this training camp a stronger, more skilled and better athlete. This will help me achieve my dream of representing the Philippines and compete in the Olympics someday,” Batang Pinoy breaststroke standout Manese, who topped the morning session at Rizal Memorial pool, said.

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time,” said Colaste, best performer in the afternoon session. “I’m hoping to improve a lot in the training abroad.”

The two will join the other best swimmers coming from clinics in Cebu, Singapore, Thailand and Australia for an intensive training camp Down Under, which includes gym session, classroom sessions focused on sports psychology and physiology, and swimming lessons to improve tactical aspects of competitive swimming.

Proud, a veteran of the Rio Games and ruler of the 50-meter butterfly event of the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, awaits them there.

“We see something special in them,” James said of the winners. “AirAsia will provide them with the opportunity to expand a little further. They’ll get some one-to-one time with Ben in the clinic...hopefully it inspires them to go one and achieve.”

The one-day clinic, which featured participants shortlisted by local swimming clubs and schools from Bulacan, Iloilo, Bicol, Cavite and Metro Manila, was held in the country for the first time as part of the annual talent development program jointly organized by AirAsia and Proud.