Youth Olympian Roxanne Ashley Yu prevailed in her favorite event in record-smashing fashion while Maurice Sacho Ilustre and Jexter Janzen Chua also delivered in record times for the Southeast Asian Games medalists yesterday in the 6th Speedo G-League Philippine National Long Course Swimming Championship.
A triple bronze medalist in the recent SEA Games in Singapore, Yu topped the women’s 200-meter backstroke in two minutes and 19.82 seconds to wipe out the national mark of 2:27.55 set by Ariana Herranz registered last year.
“My target is to slowly improve my time. I’m happy to get it done,” said Yu, who will swim in the Fina world championship on July 24 to Aug. 9 in Kazan, Russia, in a bid to secure a spot for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The 18-year-old, who studies at the British International School in Phuket, Thailand, picked up bronze medals—100m and 200m back and 4x100m medley relay—in Singapore.
Chua ruled the men’s 50m backstroke and Ilustre topped the 200m butterfly in the meet held at Rizal Memorial pool.
Ilustre exploited Jessie Khing Lacuna’s absence and clocked 2:08.18 to reset the old mark of Jeremy Brian Lim (2:12.18) last year.
Chua shattered Lacuna’s six-year record of 31.65 seconds with a 30.65-second swim in the 50m back.