By REY C. LACHICA
HANGZHOU, China – What good about Fil-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez is that she’s humble and forthright.
No alibis whatsoever.
So when she failed in her first test after the Phillipine 4x100m freestyle relay team finished a far fifth in the contest won by China in a new meet record, the charming 5-foot-5 Sanchez offered no excuses.
In fact the naturalized Filipino was so happy to be competing with Filipina girls by her side, all fighting for fame and glory for the country.
“My first swim, it was a lot fun seeing all the girls swim. It was really emotional for me because I’ve been through this process and to have Filipino girls by my side is really special,” she said.
In finishing fifth, Sanchez, Xiandie Chua, Tiea Salvino and Jasmine Alkhadi clocked 3:44.31 which was enough to better the PH record of 3:47.05 which were set by Alkhaldi, Remedy Rule, Chua and Nicole Oliva four years ago.
With a confident smile, Sanchez said their record-shattering performance was a good starting point.
Although she’s still feeling nervous in her first time to don the PH colors, Sanchez hopes to bounce back strong in three more events she is entered in the medal-rich event.
“I am excited but nervous but I am doing this for my country, family and fans, so I have to keep looking at the bigger picture in the future,” said Sanchez.
Though she’s only 22 years old, Sanchez’s resume is already impressive.
Take note, she’s a proud owner of 1 silver and 1 bronze medals in the Toky Olympics, 2 silver and 4 brionze medals in the long course of the 2022 World Championships and 3 gold and 1 silver medals in the short course of the same event in Abu Dhabi two years ago.
This year’s PH team is looking to end the country’s 25-year medal drought since the last time a Filipino swimmer won in the Asiad was in the Bangkok edition in 1998 when Sanchez was not yet born,
Papa took 2 bronze medals – in the men’s 100m and 200m backstroke.
But the last time a country won a gold was a long time ago courtesy of William Wilson in the New Delhi Games in 1982, a year that also saw the rise of athletic marvel in the late Lydia de Vega-Mercado who crowned herself as Asia’s fastest woman at 17.
