(Asian Games) PH tankers manage just one finals appearance

GUANGZHOU—The country’s pool of swimmers managed to make yet another finals appearance at the Aoti Aquatic Center Tuesday, but failed to either land a medal or better a Philippine record at the 16th Asian Games here. 

Daniel Coakley, Miguel Molina, Jessie Lacuna and Charles Walker completed the 4x100m freestyle relay in 3:37.32, qualifying seventh in a field of eight teams that included powerhouse squads from Korea, Japan and China. 

The swim team admitted earlier that it was focused on the relays, so that, as coach Pinky Brosas put it, everybody could swim in the finals. 

Miguel Molina was even pulled out of his pet 400m individual medley to focus on the 200 IM and the relays. 

“Right now, we’re just focusing on improving our times,” said Brosas. 

Earlier in the day, Ryan Arabejo finished third in the 400m free heat with a time of 4:03.36 while teammate Lacuna finished fifth at 4:06.38 but both failed to make the qualifying standard. 

At the Aoti Shooting Range, youngster Alyanna Chuatoco again got overwhelmed by veteran shooters and finished near the bottom of the women’s 25m pistol event. 

“I still have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to time management,” said Chuatoco, a 16-year-old student at Immaculate Concepcion Academy. “Sometimes I have to rush because I leave myself with little time in the end.” 

Chuatoco is one of four youngsters from Padilla’s national youth development program who are here to gain valuable experience in big-time meets.