Cordero, Callera shine in Tokyo age group swim

MANILA, Philippines — General Santos City bet Francisco Cordero and Quezon City tanker Richelle Ann Raine Callera led the 15-gold medal haul of the Philippine Swimming League (PSL) on the third day of the 2018 Tokyo Invitational Swimming Championship at the St. Mary’s International School swimming pool in Tokyo, Japan.

Cordero dominated the boys’ 11-12 50m breaststroke in 32.39 seconds to reset the 33.65 old mark of Japanese Go Nagaoka while Callera topped the girls’ 8-under 50m butterfly with a record-breaking 37.43 seconds, beating Japanese Natsuki Uchino’s 38.22 previous mark. Callera added another gold in the 50m freestyle event (35.63).

Reigning Swimmer of the Year Marc Bryan Dula of Masville Elementary School-Parañaque  also proved his worth by beating taller and older foes in the boys’ 11-12 100m butterfly event.

The 11-year-old Dula registered an impressive 1:06.75 clocking to outclass 28 other foreign opponents including a 12-year-old, 6-foot-2 tanker from Germany.

“We are proud of these young swimmers who fought hard to bring honors to our country. We dedicate this victory to the Filipino community in Japan especially Myles Beltran and Arnel Punzalan for their undying support to the whole team,” said PSL President Susan Papa.

Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh, Ellaiza Nicole Rojo and Aishel Cid Evangelista displayed their usual deadly forms, nailing three more gold medals each in their respective events. Mojdeh reigned in the girls’ 11-12 100m butterfly (1:04.67), 50m breaststroke (36.51) and 100m IM (1:09.93) while Rojo topped the girls’ 13-14 400m freestyle (4:57.77), 100m backstroke (1:14.30) and 200m IM (2:37.62), and Evangelista ruled the boys’ 8-under 50m freestyle (33.48), 25m backstroke (18.57) and 100m IM (1:23.56).

Phency Joyce Bose (girls’ 15-18 50m freestyle, 29.68), Anika Rose Galaraga (girls’ 13-14 200m butterfly, 2:52.58), the boys’ 11-12 200m medley relay, girls’ 11-12 200m medley relay and the girls’ 13-14 400m medley relay contributed one gold medal each.

Besides the gold medals, the Filipino tankers also earned 18 silvers from Jie Angela Talosig (girls’ 11-12 100m butterfly and 50m breaststroke), Lia Patricia Pabellon (girls’ 9-10 100m butterfly), Izyndro Warain (boys’ 9-10 100m butterfly and 100m IM), Cyrryl Vallar (boys’ 15-18 200m butterfly), Trump Christian Luistro (boys’ 9-10 50m breaststroke), Phelicity Joi Bose (girls’ 15-18 100m breaststroke and 200m IM), Nova Rea Estrada (girls’ 9-10 50m backstroke), John Alexander Talosig (boys’ 13-14 100m backstroke and 200m IM), Bianca Denise Real (girls’ 13-14 100m backstroke), Cordero (100m IM), Phency Joyce (100m backstroke), Dula (50m backstroke), Callera (25m backstroke), Rojo (50m freestyle) and girls’ 9-10 200m medley relay.