By Edwin Rollon
THE Philippine National Team recovered from an unnoticeable campaign in South Korea with a resounding performance over the weekend in the third and final leg of the prestigious World Aquatics-sanctioned World Cup Qualifying Series (short course) in Singapore.
Southeast Asian Games (2023) record-holder Xiandi Chua bannered the Nationals' mighty performance, claiming one more event slot for the World Cup Championships in Budapest, Hungary this December as she passed the Qualifying Time Standard (B) clocking 2:09.71 in the women’s 200m backstroke.
The 24-year-old senior student at the De La Salle University taking up Business Entrepreneur already secured a slot in the World Cup slated December 10-15 following her superb third place finish in heat 2 of the 400m Individual Medley with a time of 4:45.41 while campaigning at the 2024 Australian Short Course Swimming Championships last September in Adelaide, Australia.
Her QTS (B) time also broke the 4:46.08 Philippine record made by Georgina Peregrina in the New Zealand National Championships on October 5, 2018.
"We're far from our ultimate goal, but we're moving in that direction. What we're experiencing right now is the usual low's and high's of any sport, we win some and lose some. But wins like this, however small, are still important to us because it means we're capable of giving out the best shots at any opportunity. The road to success is never easy, but our swimmers are taking that road,” said Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) Secretary-General Batangas 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain.
Vietnam (2022) SEA Games gold medalist Chloe Isleta is joining Chua for the World Cup slated December 10-15 with two QTB marks –1: O1.59 in the women’s 100m Individual Medley and 59.80 seconds in 100m backstroke -- she earned while campaigning in the Puerto Rico International Short Course Championship recently.
Aside from the QTB mark in Singapore, Chua and 18-year-old teammate Jasmine Mojdeh made it to the Finals of the 200m butterfly and finished seventh and eighth place, respectively clocking 2:14.11 and 2:16.58.
Likewise, Joshua Ang, and Rian Marco Adiong Tirol established a new Philippine record during the Singapore Series, while Fil-Am Miranda Renner recorded a new PH mark in the Incheon, South Korea leg.
The 20-year-old Ang registered 53.65 seconds in the men’s 100m butterfly; Tirol made the mark in the 50m breaststroke with a time of 27.56 seconds, while the 21-year-old Renner etched her name in the women’s 50m butterfly clocking 26.75 seconds.
Olympian Ryan Arabejo and Ramil Ilustre coached the team, while PAI Executive Director Anthony Reyes was head of the delegation.
