SYDNEY, Australia -- The Philippines continued to make waves yesterday by grabbing two gold medals in the swimming event on the second day of competitions of the sixth Pacific School Games at the Sydney Olympic Aquatic Center here.
Emmanuel Quilala, triple gold medalist in the first Batang Pinoy National Championships in Bacolod City last year, won the finals of the 100-meter breaststroke event by registering a new Philippine record of 1:19.27.
Quilala's exploit in the Pacific Games even surpassed his previous record time of 1:23.71 in the 100-meter breast set during the 1999 Batang Pinoy National Championships. In the Bacolod Games, the young swimmer also dominated the 50-meter freestyle (30.06) and 50-meter breaststroke (38.63) age competitions.
The outstanding feat of Quilala, a 12-year-old Makati-based swimmer, solidified the Philippines' triumphant campaign as Ronald Guiriba clinched RP's first gold the other day in the finals of the 50-meter butterfly, clocking 28.08, outclassing competitors from at least 36 countries and states.
Guiriba, a 13-year old tanker from Laguna, also captured the silver medal in the finals of the 100-meter fly event.
A graduate of the Paco Catholic School, Guiriba currently holds four active Philippine records: 50-meter freestyle (30.80, 7-8 yrs.), 25-meter breast (21.38, 6-under), 50-meter fly (33.86, 7-8 yrs), and 50-meter freestyle (29.90, 8-10 yrs).