Denied of victory last year in Singapore, Filipino swimmers shoot for redemption in the 39th Southeast Asian Age Group Swimming Championship in Danang, Vietnam, on Dec. 4 to 6.
Raissa Regatta Gavino and Rafael Barreto have improved their time as well as Xiandi Chua, Andrea Miguel Pogiongko and Miguel Karlo Barlisan and hope to break the string of setbacks they had in the biggest swim meet of the region for tankers 18 years old and below.
“We didn’t win a gold medal last year, so we would be happy to win one this year,” said national team head coach Archimedes Lim.
Gavino (50m breaststroke), Pogiongko (400m individual medley) and Barlisan (100m freestyle) got silver medals in the 14-15 age bracket in Singapore while Philip Joaquin Santos (boys’ 13-under) placed third in the 200m butterfly.
Also seeking to redeem themselves are Kirsten Chloe Daos, Jeremy Bryan Lim, Regina Maria Paz Castrillo and Marco Luis Austriaco.
Philippine Swimming Inc. and the Philippine Sports Commission are supporting the participation of the 29-man team.
“Since this is an age group event, it’s difficult to predict the performance,” said Lim. “Realistically, two to four swimmers have a chance to win the gold.”
Based from last year’s results, Barreto should perform well in the 100m and 200m free, Gavino in the 50m, 100m and 200m breast and Chua in the 200m and 400m IM.
Lim said all the swimmers qualified after topping their respective events in races sanctioned by PSI.