Southeast Asian Games women’s 200-meter backstroke record holder Xiandi Chua smashed another national mark this time, in the 400-meter individual medley during the Philippine Team’s campaign in 2024 Australian Short Course Swimming Championships on Friday, Sept. 27 in Adelaide, Australia.
The 23-year-old De La Salle University standout placed third in Heat 2 of the event clocking 4;45.41 behind heat winner Tara Kinder of Melbourne Victoria Club (4:41.95) and Amelie Smith of ROCKC (4:44.09).
In an official transcript received by Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) Executive Director Anthony Reyes, Chua’s time broke the 4:46.08 mark registered by Georgina Peregrina in the New Zealand National Championships in October 2018.
The veteran internationalist also surpassed the Qualifying Time Standard for the World Cup Short Course Championship slated Dec. 10-15 in Budapest, Hungary.
“On behalf of PAI president Miko Vargas, the PAI leadership extends our heartfelt congratulations to Xiandi (Chua). Her latest success will inspire young swimmers and her teammates for the coming World Cup series,” said PAI Secretary General in Batangas 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain.
Chua also made it to the PH Team bound for the World Series after collecting 723 World Aquatics points during the National Trials last month.
She will be joined by Southeast Asian Games gold medalist (2022) Chloe Isleta (770), Fil-American Cristina Miranda Renner (717), and Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh (690) on the distaff side.
The men’s side, meanwhile, will have Joshua Gabriel Ang (749), Miguel Barreto (743), Arizona State University mainstay Fil-Am Kyle Gerard Valdez (715), Rian Marco Tirol ((747), Metin Junior Mahmutoglu (726), Rafael Barreto (723), Jerard Dominic Jacinto (733), Nathan Jao (722), Lucio Cuyong II, (664), Raymund Paloma (681), Albert Jose Amaro II (682), and Fil-Canadian Robin Christopher Domingo (665).
The World Cup Series is comprised of three legs with the first competition set on Oct. 18-20 (Series 1) in Shanghai, China; Series 2 on Oct. 24-26 in Incheon, South Korea; and Series 3 on Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Singapore and Cup Championships on Dec. 10-15 in Budapest, Hungary.
