A MEDAL FOR PH. Philippine Aquatics Inc. secretary general, Congressman Eric Buhain (right), poses with the winners of the girls’ 15-17 100m butterfly event during the awarding ceremony of the 11th Asian Age Group Championships at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac on Wednesday (Feb. 27, 2024). On the podium (from left) are silver medalist Sze Ki Mok and gold medalist Hoi Ching Yeung of Hong Kong, as well as bronze medalist Heather White of the Philippines. (AAGC photo)
CAPAS, Tarlac – Heather White and Jamesray Mishael Ajido delivered two bronze medals for host Philippines on Day 2 of the 11th Asian Age Group Championships at the New Clark City Aquatics Center here Wednesday.
The 16-year-old White, a Filipino-British residing in Vietnam, registered a personal best time of 1:03.09 in the girls’ 15-17 100m butterfly event.
Hong Kong’s Hoi Ching Yeung grabbed the gold medal with a new meet record of 1:00.50, improving Japanese Aki Obata’s 1:00.73 set in 2009. Sze Ki Mok, also from Hong Kong, got the silver medal in 1:02.73.
“I am so happy. Before the race, I wasn’t expecting much. I was still recovering from the 50m freestyle so to have that big win after my loss. It was so amazing,” said White, who clocked 26.68 in the 50m freestyle event to finish fifth behind Kazakhstan’s Sofiya Abubakirova (26.25), Chinese Taipei’s Pei Hsuan Li (26.28), Japan’s Rimika Taira (26.31), and Hong Kong’s Gilaine Ma (26.54).
Ajido of Antipolo City settled for the bronze medal in the boys’ 12-14 50m freestyle with a time of 24.34, a personal best and a national record.
Japan’s Toya Hirata won the gold medal in 23.21, a new meet record that broke the 24.03 time set by compatriot Yuga Takashima in 2019.
“This is special for me, I am proud to win a medal for the Philippines,” said Ajido, a Grade 8 student at La Salle Greenhills. He won the 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke gold medals in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99.
“I dedicate this victory to the Lord and my family,” added the 15-year-old who pocketed five gold and one bronze medals at the Batang Pinoy National Championships last December.
Meanwhile, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann commended White and Ajido during a visit on Wednesday.
“Congratulations to the athletes and to everyone involved in making this happen,” said Bachmann, who was welcomed by David Carter, the local organizing committee’s chief operating officer.
Japan leads the medal tally board with 20 golds, 11 silvers, and four bronzes, as of Tuesday.
Kazakhstan is second with 10 golds, seven silvers, and two bronzes followed by Thailand (9-7-12), Hong Kong (9-7-8), Vietnam (8-10-11), Chinese Taipei (3-11-6), India (2-4-2), Macau (2-1-1), Iran (1-2-4), Kyrgyzstan (1-0-0), Uzbekistan (0-2-2), China (0-1-1), Malaysia (0-0-4), Qatar (0-0-3), and Mongolia (0-0-2). (PNA)
