NATIONAL youth mainstays and Palarong Pambansa standouts banner the Philippine team competing in the 36th Southeast Asia Age Group Swimming Championship from June 1 to 3 in Palembang, Indonesia.
Raissa Gavino, this year’s most bemedalled Palaro grade school athlete with six gold medals, leads the 23-member delegation that also includes national youth pool members Courtney Gray, Arianna Herranz and Colleen Simbulan.
“This is the youngest team I’m handling, most of them are 11 to 12 years old,” national team coach Archie Lim said during the send-off party yesterday at the Lamoiyan Corp. compound in Parañaque.
Lamoiyan, owned by Dr. Cecilio Pedro, had pledged to bankroll the squad.
“I was a swimmer in Ateneo for four years and I know how difficult it is to train. Sometimes, government support is not enough,” said Pedro.
Pedro said he learned about the swimmers’ plight through Bernard Yang, team manager of former PBL team Hapee Toothpaste.
Yang’s son, Joshua Benzi-Co Yang, copped four gold medals in the Palaro and is also a member of the boys’ team.
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS: Regina Castrillo, Roxanne Yu, Kirsten Daos, Coleen Limsui, Maurize Dabi, Thea Caluma, Shannen Ng, Roxine Kee, Andrae Pogiongko, Jose Mari Arcilla, Alfonso Bautista, Gabriel Flores, Jeremy Lim, Rafael Sta. Maria, Joshua Taleon, John Jeric Santos, Mark Joseph Rominquit, Ianiko Limfilipino