The Antipolo City government, led by Mayor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III, will provide support to Antipolo-born swimmer Jamesray Mishael Ajido for winning the country’s lone gold medal in record-breaking fashion at the recent 11th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships.
Ranged against taller and better-prepared rivals, Ajido ruled the boys 12-14-year-old 100-meter butterfly event in 55.98 seconds, breaking the five-year-old meet record of 56.36 seconds of Chinese Yu Xiang Wang, at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac.
A KG Management talent, Ajido also copped a silver in the 50-meter butterfly (25.50) and a bronze (24.34) in the 50-meter freestyle events, respectively, all three times being national junior records, to emerge as the country’s most bemedaled athlete in the competition.
These were milestones for both the swimmer and the host country considering that there were over 1,000 swimmers from 25 countries in Asia that took part in the meet that was also a qualifying event for the Paris Olympic Games.
His accomplishments were the latest after being the best swimmer in the last Batang Pinoy National Games in December with five individual gold and two bronze medals on top of anchoring La Salle Greenhills to overall honors in the boys’ high school division of the NCAA swimming meet.
“As an Antipolo native, we would like to recognize Jamesray’s achievements and support him to the extent we can as a promising swimmer well and beyond his athletic career,” said Ynares during the athlete’s recent courtesy call together with his mother Lovell.
Joining the Ajidos during the occasion was former national swimming coach Sherwin Santiago, who has is responsible for nurturing the athlete into a potential world class swimmer, and KG Management director Jun Basas Esturco.
“I believe this is the first time we are giving this kind of support to an outstanding athlete like him so we hope that this will also inspire and motivate Ajido to excel and do even better in his future international competitions,” added Ynares.
“We are grateful for this recognition of the Antipolo City government and Mayor Jun Ynares. This support will help Jamesray as he dreams of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,” said Mrs. Ajido during the visit.
Santiago said that the next overseas competition for his prized ward will likely be the 13th ASEAN School Games to be held from May 31 to June 9 in Da Nang Vietnam and the 46th Southeast Asia Age Group Swimming Championships that will be held later this year.
