Geriane sets new Philippine record in winning SEA Games swimming silver

HANOI — Philippine swimmer Jessica Geriane had a record-breaking performance to clinch silver in the women's 50m backstroke in the 31st Southeast Asian Games held at the My Dinh Water Sports Palace here on Sunday.

Geriane, just the second medalist for the Filipino swimmers in Hanoi, finished with a time of 29.35 seconds.

But it was during the preliminaries where she etched her name in the Philippine swimming record books when she registered 29.38 seconds to break Jasmine Alkhaldi's previous record of 29.53.

Geriane added her silver to Miranda Renner's bronze in women's 100m freestyle on Saturday.

Compatriot Chloe Isleta, meanwhile, missed out on the podium in 50-meter backstroke as she placed fourth.

Other silver medalists on Sunday included Nathaniel Perez of fencing, Jollirine Co of jiujitsu, and the dancesport pair of Michael Angelo Marquez and Stephanie Sabalo.

Marquez and Sabalo highlighted their haul with a gold in Cha-cha but also had silvers in Single Dance Latin Jive and All Five Dances Latin events.

Their teammates Wilbert Aunzo and Pearl Marie Caneda also nabbed second place in Single Dance Latin Samba.

Auzon and Caneda also took home bronzes  in Single Dance Latin Rumba and Single Dance Latin Paso Doble.

Bronzes also came from Joida Gagnao in women's 3,000m steeplechase, Sonny Wagdos in men's 500m race, Marc Lim in jiu-jitsu men's -96kg Gi, Jan Vincent Cortez also of jiu-jitsu in men's -56kg No Gi, the women's tennis team of Alex Eala, Marian Capadocia, Shaira Rivera and Jenaila Prulla, John Derick Farr and Naomi Gardoce of cycling, and Alvin Campos of Pencak Silat.

As of press time, the Philippines has a total of 84 medals in the biennial meet — 20 golds, 27 silvers and 37 bronzes.

The Philippines is jockeying for second place with Thailand.