QUALIFIER. Catherine Cruz of Mabalacat Race Pace team competes in the Girls’ 14-15 200-meter backstroke during tryouts at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila on Saturday (July 8, 2023). Cruz met the qualifying time standard on Friday to earn a provisional slot to the national team going to the Southeast Asia Age Group Championships in Indonesia next month. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Seven more swimmers were granted provisional slots to the national team bound for the Southeast Asia (SEA) Age Group Championships during the second of the three-day tryouts at the Teofilo Yldefonso pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila on Saturday.
Jamesrey Mishael Ajido, Amina Isabelle Bungabung and Mishka Sy of QCSC Buccaneers Swim Club, Prince Dave Calma of San Beda, Lance Rafael Cruz of Green Archers Swim Club, Estifano Joshua Ramos of Golden Sea Eagles, and Patricia Mae Santor of Ilustre East Aquatic all met the Qualifying Time Standard (QTS) set by the Philippine Swimming Inc.
Ajido qualified in the Boys’ 14-15 100-meter butterfly event where he clocked 2:14.33 (QTS 2:14.83). He posted 57.46 to surpass the QTS of 58.43 in the 200m Individual Medley.
Bungabung ruled the Girls’ 16-18 50m freestyle in 27.58 (QTS 27.69) while Sy qualified in the Girls’ 16-18 200m butterfly with a time of 2:24.36 (QTS 2:29.07) and 200m backstroke with a time of 2:29.54 (QTS 2:29.86).
Ramos dominated the Boys’ 16-18 200m backstroke in 2:10.64 while Ivo Nikolai Enot (2:12.62) and Calma (2:13.73) placed second and third, respectively. The three met the QTS of 2:14.25.
Cruz topped the Boys’ 16-18 200m breaststroke in 2:25.08 (QTS 2:26.89) and Santor ruled the Girls’ 14-15 200m butterfly in 2:25.18 (QTS 2:27.16).
Those who qualified on Friday were Catherine Cruz (Mabalacat Race Pace Swim Team), Arabella Nadeen Taguinota (Pasig City Swimming), Peter Cyrus Dean (Killerwhale Elite Swim Team Quezon), and Enot (Ayala Harpoons Swim Club).
There will also be tryouts in North Luzon (Vigan, Ilocos Sur) and Visayas (Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental), to be held simultaneously on July 21 to 23, and in Mindanao.
"We will consolidate all the results of the tryouts before we officially announce the qualified ones. The top three qualified in each event are the ones we will send to the SEA Age Group Championships," said coach Chito Rivera.
The SEA Age Group Championships is scheduled Aug. 24 to 26 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (PNA)
