Aishel Evangelista, Patrica Mae Santor, and Ricielle Maleeka Melencio won the Most Outstanding Swimmer (MOA) awards in their respective classes after stellar performances at the close of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics (COPA) ‘One For All-All For One’ National Capital Region Swimming Championship Sunday, May 19, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.
Still mourning the loss of his father-coach Elcid in heat stroke just a couple of weeks ago, the 14-year-old Evangelista capped his dominant show by sweeping his last three events to finish the three-day event with 8 gold and 1 silver medals.
Before a good-sized crowd that included members of his family and COPA co-founder Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain, the Grade 8 student at the University of Santo Tomas topped the boys’ 200m butterfly (2:20.16), 100m backstroke (1:07.94) and 50m freestyle (26.83).
“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa Diyos ay binigyan ako ng kalakasan ng katawan para matupad ko yung misyon ko na mabigyan ng regalo ang aking namayapang ama (Elcid). Para po sa kanya ito, alam ko masaya siya sa tagumpay ko,” said Evangelista.
Proceeds of the event will go his family as promised by Buhain.
He also reigned in the 100m freestyle (57.56), 400m IM (4:53.63), 200m freestyle (2:03.58), 100m butterfly (1:03.22), and 200m backstroke (2:27.58).
He finished second to Kean Paragatos (31.34) in the 50m backstroke with a timed of 31.39.
Melencio continued her reign in the girls 18-over class, ruling the 100m backstroke in 1:11.21 and in 50m free, clocking 28.97.
Melencio, a freshman student at Ateneo University, also bested the field in the 400m IM (5:30.21), 200m freestyle (2:17.63), and 100m free (1:02.76) during the first two days of the meet.
The 16-year-old Santor, a member of the Philippine team in the Asian Age Group tilt last February in Clark, topped the girls’ 16-under 200m butterfly (2:27.53) against Savinnah Oliveros (2:42.38).
Santor’s other gold medals came in the 400m Individual Medley (5:21.84), 200m freestyle ( 2:18.47), 100m freestyle (1:04.16), 100m butterfly (1:06.89), while leading the squad in the 400m medley relay (4:56.87). She had a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke.
