INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines--Miguel Molina has notched a confidence-boosting win in his never-say-die buildup for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The country?s top swimmer emerged triumphant in the 200-meter individual medley during the TYR Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo, California over the weekend.

Molina, 23, won with a time of two minutes and 5.26 seconds in the high-level tournament featuring the best school-based tankers in the United States.

Nick D?Innocenzo, a high school senior from Andover who holds the Massachusetts state record of 1:50.94 in the 200m IM, led halfway through the race then faded to finish second in 2:05.52.

John Dorr, Molina?s teammate at the University of Southern California, checked in third in 2:07.07.

Still, Molina?s clocking was way off the RP record of 2:03.06 he set during the Japan Open in Tokyo in August last year.

American Michael Phelps holds the world standard of 1:54.98 and the Olympic mark of 1:57.14.

The US-based Molina was named best male athlete of the 2007 Thailand SEA Games after nailing four gold medals. He also finished 16th in the World Short Course Championships in Manchester, England last month.

?He didn?t tell me about it until I read it in the internet,? said swimming chief Mark Joseph.