WINNERS. Silver medalist Jamesray Mishael Ajido from the Philippines (left) with gold medalist Yusei Nishiono of Japan (center) and bronze medalist Yashar Soleimani of Iran on the podium during the medal ceremony of the boys 12-14 50m butterfly event in the 11th Asian Age Group Championships at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac on Thursday (Feb. 29, 2024). Also in photo is Philippine Aquatics Inc. membership committee chairman Anthony Reyes. (Photo courtesy of AAGC)
CAPAS, Tarlac – Host Philippines got two more medals from Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Heather White in the final day of the swimming competition Thursday night at the 11th Age Group Championships at the New Clark City Aquatics Center here.
Ajido, a Grade 8 student from La Salle Greenhills, clocked 25.50 seconds to secure the silver in the boys 12-14 50m butterfly event won by Japanese Yusei Nishiono (25.43s). Iranian Yashar Soleimani got the bronze in 26.02s.
It was sweet revenge for Nishiono, who settled for the silver when Ajido pocketed the gold medal in the 100m butterfly event last Wednesday.
Ajido's 55.98s time in the 100m butterfly broke the meet record of 56.36 set by Chinese Yu Xiang Wang in 2019. Nishiono's submitted a record-breaking 56.05s while Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Cheng Kan was third in 56.79.
Meanwhile, White collected her second bronze medal, this time in the girls 15-17 100m where she clocked 57.86s to finish third behind Japan's Ramika Taira (56.81) and Hong Kong's Gilaine Ma (56.86).
The 16-year-old Filipino-British bagged her first bronze medal in the 100m butterfly with a personal best time of 1:03.09. 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.
Jasmine Mojdeh also contributed to the country's medal haul, claiming the bronze medal in the girls 15-17 200m butterfly.
Ajido, from Antipolo City, had a total of three medals, including a bronze in the 50m freestyle where he registered 24.34s, a personal best and a national record.
Japan’s Toya Hirata won the gold medal in 23.21s, a new meet record that broke the 24.03s time set by compatriot Yuga Takashima in 2019.
He is a double-gold medalist (100m butterfly and 100m backstroke) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99. Last year, he won five gold and one bronze medals at the Batang Pinoy National Championships and pocketed two silvers at the SEA Age Group Championships in Indonesia last year. (PNA)
