By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Thanya Dela Cruz eclipsed the national record in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke at the start of the 2021 Philippine Swimming Inc.’s National Selection Tournament yesterday at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac.
The 18-year-old Dela Cruz clocked 32.89 seconds to rule the event and break Joy Rodgers’ mark of 32.93sec set in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games at the same venue.
Rodgers clocked only 33.94sec this time and finished second behind Dela Cruz.
“I didn’t expect na mag-record,” said Dela Cruz, a standout from the Ayala Harpoons Swim Club.
“I mean, coming here, wala namang expectations. Just to get back that (competitive) feeling again.”
Dela Cruz also ruled the 50m freestyle in 27.92sec.
SEAG campaigner Sacho Ilustre also shared the day’s honors by dominating the men’s 100m butterfly in 57.13sec while Ayala Harpoons’ Miguel Barreto topped the men’s 400m fly in 4 minutes and 7.37sec.
Quezon City Buccaneers’ Chloe Daos also made a splash by winning the women’s 400m fly in 4:39.21, while Ryan Marco Tirol prevailed in the men’s 50m breast in 30.05sec.
Also taking the spotlight were John Niel Paderes in the men’s 100m backstroke (1:01.22), Shayne Lugay in the women’s 100m back 91:10.38), Camille Buico in the women’s 100m fly (1:03.94), Ted Laminta in the men’s 200m individual medley (2:13.89), Xiandi Chua in the women’s 200m IM (2:25.32), Joshua Del Rio in the men’s 1500m freestyle (16:40.12) and Michael Mojdeh in the women’s 1500m free (18:58.71).
