Tankers make waves

The Philippines finished second overall in the recent 26th Southeast Asia Age Group Swimming Championships in Bangkok, Thailand.

The RP tankers garnered 17-19-17 gold-silver-bronze medals while establishing four new SEA age group records and rewriting 21 national age group marks.

Busan Asian Games-bound Miguel Molina won the Best Performance Award for the 15-17 years old boys’ group 1 category.

Molina broke the SEA age group record in the 200m breaststroke (2:23.86), while Luica Dacanay smashed the girls’ 15-17 age bracket record in the 50m backstroke (31.87 sec). Alistair Kennedy likewise broke the 11-12 age group record for boys in the 50m butterfly (29.19) and 50m backstroke (31.33).

Molina also broke the national age group marks in the 100-meter breast (1:07.04), 100-meter freestyle (52.78), and 200-meter breaststroke (2:23.86).

James Walsh (200-meter butterfly), Evan Grabador (200-meter backstroke) and Benjamin Uy (100-meter butterfly) also set new national boys’ age group records in the 15-17 years category, while Dacanay rewrote the 50-meter backstroke national mark for girls.

In the 13-14 years old bracket for boys, Michael mars Danila broke five national age group records – in the 100-meter back (1:03.12), 200-meter freestyle (2:03.83), 50-meter freestyle (25.70), 50-meter back (29.63), and 100-meter freestyle (55.87).

Gerard Bordado and Ferdinand Frigillana broke the 200-meter breast and 50-meter butterfly national records, respectively, while Nicole Santiago sank the girls’ national age group mark in the 200-meter back with a time of 2:37.05.