Day 2 winners from Team Philippines. Photo by Celest Flores-Colina
PHNOM PENH—The Philippines added two more gold medals to their haul Saturday to surpass last year’s performance with a day left in the 43rd Southeast Asia Age Group Swimming Championships at Morodok Techo National Sports Complex here.
The Filipino junior tankers already have five gold, 11 silver and seven bronze medals so far in the 10-country event, already better than their tally in 2018 edition held in the Laguna when they finished with 4-10-16.
Miranda Renner nabbed her first gold medal this year, swimming to the top of the 16-18 girls’ 50-meter butterfly event with a time of 28.33.
The 18-year-old Renner, who was born in Manila to a Filipino mother then raised in the United States, also got a silver and a bronze medal in Day 1 of the age group meet, where she is competing for the third time.
“A gold is really rewarding especially when you can win it in for the country. I was really happy for myself but also for the whole team,” said Renner, who is hoping to compete in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games later in the year.
Xiandi Chua, who won bronze in relay on Friday, delivered the Philippines’ second gold medal of the day, clocking in at 2:05.63 in the 16-18 girls’ 200m freestyle event.
Chua also bagged the silver in the girls’ 400 individual medley race with a time of 5:00.72, ahead of another Filipino bet Georgia Peregrina who timed in at 5:04.11 for her second bronze of the day after her 2:21.14 swim in 200m backstroke.
Our PH swimmers cheering for their fellow swimmers who are racing in the 4x100m freestyle events. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭 #WSAO pic.twitter.com/VV7nCOfOxm
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) June 29, 2019
Desiree Mangaoang had another podium finish, this time in the 16-18 girls’ 100m breaststroke race where she tied for the silver medal with Vietnam’s Vũ Thị Phương Anh at 1:12.30.
Samantha Banos took home her second silver medal, tapping the wall in 29.02 in the 14-15 girls’ 50m butterfly event while Mishka Sy swam to the silver finish in the girls’ 14-15 200m backstroke in 2:24.26.
Team Philippines ready for day 2 of SEA Age swim championships in Phnom Penh. 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭🏊♂️🏊♀️ #WSAO pic.twitter.com/uFNyMRj1pa
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) June 29, 2019
The country’s 13 and under swimmers set also new records on Friday. Ivo Enot clinched the bronze in the boys’ 200m backstroke with a time of 2:20.61, setting a new national junior U13 record held by MM Danila (2:20.75) for 18 years.
Liaa Amoguis, meanwhile, captured the silver in the girls’ 13U 400 individual medley with a new personal and national best time of 5:16.01.