The Philippine Swimming Inc. yesterday revised its roster for the 29th Southeast Asian Games this August in Malaysia after secretary general Lani Velasco submitted a list of eight names to the SEAG Task Force.
Tom Carrasco, the SEAG TF workhorse, said US-based Joshua Hall, a perennial competitor, has withdrawn owing to documentary problems.
But two recruits from the US mainland – James Deiparine and Nicole Oliva – have been included.
Deiparine and Jessie Khing Lacuna will make up the men’s list while Oliva will be joined by Roxanne Yu, Jasmine Alkhaldi, Rosalee Sta. Ana, Nicole Pamintuan and Maria Aresa Lapit.
According to Carrasco, the 23-year-old Deiparine, who hails from Santa Clara, California, is a gold medal hopeful during the Aug. 19-30 SEAG.
His personal best of 28.22 seconds in the 50m breastroke is superior to the gold medal time of 28.27 seconds set by Indonesian Indra Gunawan during the 2015 edition.
Swimming alone will dangle 38 gold medals and the Philippines will be lucky to bring home more than two given its lowly standing the previous years.
Aside from Deiparine, other medal hopefuls include veterans and fellow Rio Olympians Lacuna and Alkhaldi, who is training in Italy.
