Angela Mikaela Talosig, a 17-year-old from Midsayap, North Cotabato, warmed up for a big international meet later in the month by ruling the 400-meter (m) freestyle event of the Palarong Pambansa at the Marikina Sports Complex pool.
Discovering her swimming skills as a fan of survival tactics, Talosig timed four minutes and 38.98 seconds, justifying her inclusion to the national team that will campaign in the Southeast (SEA) Asian Age Group Swimming Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia on Aug. 24-26.
“I just wanted to enhance my water survival skills and found out that I can really swim,’’ said Talosig. “This is my first gold here in the Palaro and it’s really something special. I’m hoping to win more.”
National Capital Region swimmers Athena Shannessa Chang and Iliazel Fei Doliente checked in a far second (4:46.93) and third (5:05.84), respectively as Talosig gave the South-Central Mindanao region early bragging rights
Talosig, an incoming Grade 11 student at Southern Christian College, is also the favorite to rule the 200m free on Wednesday as well as the 100m, 800m, 1500m free the rest of the week. She is also expected to anchor her team in two relay events.
“I want to become an elite swimmer for our country someday. I have to consistently win races locally and internationally for me to achieve that,’’ said Talosig.
Also Jakarta-bound
Peter Cyrus Dean of Calabarzon will accompany Talosig in the SEA Age Championships, proving his worth in the secondary boys’ 100m backstroke with a time of 1:00.69 to defeat Jennuel De Leon of Western Visayas (1:00.85).
He came a tad short of erasing the existing 2017 Palaro record of national team standout Jerald Jacinto (59.64 seconds). NCR’s Lance Rafael Cruz settled for the bronze medal in 1:01.17.
“It would be nice if I could win my other individual events,’’ said Dean, a Grade 11 student at the Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation in Lucena City.
Dean attempts to replicate his golden effort in the 50m and 200m back, 200m and 400m individual medley in the next couple of days. INQ