Their impressive victories earned them spots on the Philippine team that will compete in the 4th Southeast Asian Open Water Swimming Championships set for August 21-23 at the same venue.

Ato, a 16-year-old standout from Raois, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, swept the girls’ division. The Grade 10 student of Great Heights Learning Center claimed gold in both the girls’ 16-17 5-kilometer race and the under-18 10-kilometer event.

Representing the One Ilocos Sur Team under the guidance of Olympian Ryan Arabejo, Ato dominated the grueling 10-kilometer race, clocking 2:24:56 to finish ahead of Stacey Arabelle Bee of Bacolod, who posted 2:27:59, and Jeda Lorrine Cruz of Ilustre East, who registered 2:35:27.513.

She followed up that performance by winning the 5-kilometer race in 1:09:41.835, narrowly edging Bee (1:09:49.944) and hometown swimmer Nuche Veronica Ibit (1:12:06.670).

Coliyat, another 16-year-old rising star from Batangas and a product of the Batang Pinoy program, also completed a golden double in the boys’ division. He captured the under-18 10-kilometer crown with a time of 2:16:15.000, holding off Jeanne Dominic Bongotan of Baguio (2:17:07.827) and Zyrhed Pajas of One Ilocos (2:22:57.508).

He then showcased his endurance and finishing kick in the boys’ 15-17 5-kilometer race, clocking 1:03:41.303 and pulling away in the final stretch to defeat Pajas (1:03:52.895) and Giro Don Rafael Gito of La Salle (1:04:21.967).

Other podium finishers in the competition included Anton Della of La Union, Marc Justin Yu of Negros, and Lyon Pascua of One Ilocos in the boys’ Under-20 10-kilometer event. In the men’s 20-and-over 10-kilometer category, Alexander Lawrence Yu of All Star, Joshua Delmo of Ayala Harpoon, and Paulo Miguel Labanon of Ayala secured podium finishes.

In the boys’ 14-15 5-kilometer class, Alfonso Joaquin DeMesa, Rie Mones, and Marcus Ubungen emerged as the top finishers, while Marc Justin Yu, Lyon Pascua, and Jan Pau Baulo topped the boys’ 18-19 division. Paolo Miguel Labanon, Reiniel Lagman, and Joshua Del Rio completed the podium in the men’s 20-and-over 5-kilometer event.

On the girls’ side, Makayla Fetalvero, Raziel Villas, and Maria Isabella Raagas finished among the medalists in the 14-15 5-kilometer category. Jie Angela Mikaela Talosig, Alexis Bailey Tan Uy, and Amanda Tongson likewise reached the podium in the women’s 20-and-over 5-kilometer division.

PAI Secretary General Eric Buhain congratulated all the medalists and qualifiers, emphasizing that continuous training will be crucial as the national team prepares for upcoming international competitions.

“We are proud of the performances of our swimmers, especially Graziella and Rio, who showed determination and consistency throughout the competition,” said Buhain. “This is only the beginning of our preparation for the Southeast Asian Open Water Championships. We will continue to provide the athletes with the support and training they need to compete at the highest level.”

Buhain also expressed gratitude to Speedo, the MVP Sports Foundation, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the Local Government Unit of Malay, Aklan, led by Mayor Floribar Bautista, for their support in staging the successful event.

“We are grateful to our sponsors and to the local government of Malay for helping us host the event and the coming world-class open water competition in Boracay,” Buhain added. “Their support is vital in developing Philippine aquatics and giving our athletes the best possible environment to excel.”

The 17-year-old tanker clinched two gold medals – 50m free (24.29 seconds) and 100m butterfly (54.83) -- showcasing both consistency and maturity against a deep field of young talents, but beyond the podium finishes, Ajido made it clear his sights are set on a bigger stage — the Youth Olympics.

Fresh from his breakthrough stint in international competitions, including a silver-medal finish in the Asian Youth Games last year in Bahrain, Ajido is using every race as a stepping stone toward global qualification.

“I’m happy with my performance, but I know there’s still more to improve,” said Ajido. “Every competition is part of my preparation. My goal is to qualify and do well in the Youth Olympics.”

Ajido’s dominance in the pool mirrored the form that has made him one of the most decorated swimmers in his age group. Known for his versatility across multiple events, he once again proved why he is considered a strong candidate for international honors.

The Open Championships is part of the selection process for the composition of the Philippine Team that will participate in various competitions abroad, including the SEA Age Group in Malaysia and Asian Age Group in Bangkok.

Despite already building an impressive resume at a young age, the La Salle Greenhills standout remains grounded, emphasizing continuous improvement over accolades.

“I train hard for my main events, and I always try to get better each time I compete,” he added, echoing the discipline that has defined his rapid rise.

With the Youth Olympics on the horizon, Ajido’s performance in Capas sends a strong message — he is not just competing for medals locally, but preparing to carry the Philippine flag on one of the biggest stages for young athletes worldwide.

Ajido, 17, a multi-titled junior record holder from La Salle Greenhills, reaffirmed his status as one of the country’s top young sprinters after ruling the boys’ 17 class 50-meter freestyle in 24.29 seconds and the 100m butterfly in 54.83 seconds, an equivalent of 733 FINA points.

Coleman, 16, representing Dax Halili Swim Club, showcased her versatility by capturing the girls’ 17 class titles in the 100m breaststroke (1:12.49) and 100m butterfly (1:06.18), boosting her credentials for upcoming international competitions.

The three-day meet, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Speedo, and the MVP Sports Foundation, also served as a key selection event for the Philippine National Junior Team set to compete in international tournaments, including the Southeast Asian Age Group Championships in Singapore and the Asian Age Group Championships.

Philippine Aquatics, Inc. Secretary General Eric Buhain praised the success of the championships, citing the depth of talent and the high level of competition.

“This meet has been a big success for Philippine swimming,” said Buhain. “We are seeing not just our established swimmers perform well, but also a new generation stepping up. That’s very encouraging as we continue to build a strong pipeline for international competitions.”

Ajido outpaced Matt Aaron Nerison (25.16) and Almar De Leon (25.75) in the 50m freestyle, and later held off Gilbert Gonzalbo (59.74) and Gabriel Dimandal (1:00.99) in the 100m event. His performance marked a significant improvement from his previous best of 55.11 in last year's Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, where he settled for a silver medal against some of the best young swimmers from 44 countries in Asia.

Coleman, a standout from the National Academy of Sports, dominated Taylor Brooke Salida (1:18.14) and Beverlyn Grace Mendoza (1:21.92) in the breaststroke event, and prevailed over Singatala Cuevas (1:07.31) and Marta Rodriguez (1:08.94) in the butterfly.

Evangelista, representing Beta Swim Club, capped an impressive campaign with victories in the boys’ 17 class 100m breaststroke (1:11.46), 200m backstroke (2:17.23), and 400m freestyle (4:17.42). The University of Santo Tomas standout finished with six gold medals, adding wins in the 1500m freestyle (17:10.99), 200m freestyle (1:58.89), and 200m breaststroke (2:33.86).

Bulaga, meanwhile, emerged as the most decorated swimmer of the meet with seven gold medals. The 16-year-old pride of Ilocos Sur topped the girls’ 16 class 400m individual medley (5:11.25) and 400m freestyle (4:39.02), and also ruled the 200m IM, 1500m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, and 800m freestyle. Bulaga is the youngest member of the Philippine team that competed in last year’s Southeast Asian Games.

“The performances we’ve seen here show that our grassroots development programs are working,” Buhain added. “These young swimmers are the future, and competitions like this give them the exposure and experience they need.”

Other noted name in the podium included SEA Games veteran Xiandi Chua in the 19-over class 100m free (27.02); Albert Jose Amaro in 100m free (22.93) in 100m fly (54.29); Shinloah San Diego in the 18-yrs (1:21.49); Patricia Santor in girls 15-yrs 400m IM (5:19.24) and 100m fly (1:03.54); Kacie Gabrielle Tionko of Salabites in the girls 16-ys 400m IM ( 4:15.15).

For complete results, visit the official website and social media pages of Philippine Aquatics Inc.

White and Le earned spots on the Ho Chi Minh City Team following their impressive performances during the final qualification week of the National School Swimming Championships.

The 13-year-old White will compete in the girls’ 50-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, and 4x50-meter freestyle relay events, while Le will see action in the 200-meter freestyle.

Le will also join White, Quỳnh Như, and Hieu Doanh in the 4x50-meter freestyle relay squad.

“So proud and constantly amazed by the progress and achievements of our ABCIS swimmers,” said ABCIS Director of Sports Andrew Smith.

White, the younger sister of Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Heather White, clocked 28.04 seconds in the 50m freestyle and 2:21.30 in the 200m freestyle during the qualification round. Meanwhile, Le registered 2:31.97 in the 200m freestyle.

The Filipino-British swimming phenom further boosted her growing reputation after breaking four swimming records during the Under-13 FOBISIA Games held last March at the Patana Sports Resort in Thailand.

“We are very optimistic about their chances because they train hard every day,” said Jenny White, Hannah’s mother and coach of the ABCIS swimmers.

Under the tournament format, winners in each event during the final qualification week become eligible for selection to the Vietnam National Team together with champions from other qualifying events across the country.

White dominated the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly events, while Le topped the 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke races.

Both swimmers are also key members of the Ho Chi Minh City Team’s 4x50-meter freestyle relay squad.