The Philippine swimming team could end up finding itself fully submerged in the 30th Southeast Asian Games based on the results of their recent performance in the Philippine National Open.
A total of 27 swimmers, beefed by acquisitions from overseas, have been submitted for inclusion to the Nov. 30-Dec. 11 SEAG, according to the Philippine Swimming Inc. (PSI), which staged the National Open at the newly-built Aquatics Center at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
The biggest hope among the current crop falls on the shoulders of Fil-foreigner James Deiparine, who actually beat the 2017 SEAG gold standard in the 50-meter breaststroke in the recent swimfest with a time of 27.99 seconds.
The winning time in Kuala Lumpur was 28.07 seconds.
While another Fil-foreigner made heads turn two weeks ago by taking a tournament-best four gold medals, Remedy Rule doesn’t look as if she will rule her events.
In the 50-m back, Rule clocked 30.53 (2017 SEAG winning time: 29.26); 100-m free did 58.29 (55.74); 50-m fly submitted 28.41 (26.83); and 50-m free had 26.34 (25.41).
While Luke Gebbie, another prized find from Australia, made waves like Rule, his recent showing doesn’t seem to translate into golds.
In the 50-m fly, Gebbie clocked 24.72 and in 2017, Joseph Schooling did 23.06. In the 50-m free, Gebbie did 22.90 (22.55) and in the 100-m free he posted 50.24 (48.93).
But there is still time to improve on their times as they have all gone back to their residences in the US and Australia in time for their arrival in the Philippines seven to ten days before their respective events.
Other Fil-foreign standouts tapped by the PSI in its quest to end the ten-year gold drought are Thomas Peregrine, Chloe Isleta, Joy Rodgers and Miranda Renner.
They will join hands with two-time Olympians Jessie Khing Lacuna and Jasmine Alkhaldi and Roxanne Yu as well as SEAG first-timers Xiandi Chua and the Barreto siblings, Miguel and Rafael, who are aiming to cash in on the support of the home crowd in their bids to make it to the top of the podium.
