Homegrown bets Billie Blu Mondonedo, Maxene Hayley Uy, Sophie Rose Garra, and Liv Abigail Florendo got a piece of the limelight at the close of the Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) 50-meter-long course National Trials on Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in Malate, Manila.
The 17-year-old Mondonedo justified her earlier inclusion in the national team with an astonishing performance in the girls 16-18 100-meter freestyle, clocking 56.64 to shatter the SEA Age Qualifying Time Standard (QTS) of 58.41.
The Sandpiper Nevada in Southern California trained Fil-American bested her teammate Arabella Nadeen Taguinota (1:01.13) and Asian Age Group Championship campaigner Trixie Ortiguerra of Tarlac Mako (1:01.62) and claimed her third QTS gold medal.
Mondonedo capped her dominance in the freestyle with victories in the 50-meter (26.48) that saw her better the QTS of 27.05. She also topped the 200m in 2:08.34, a feat faster than the QTS of 2:09.09 in the four-day event backed by Speedo, Pocari Sweat and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)
The 15-year-old Uy of Bacolod City reigned in the girls’ 14-15 50-m backstroke, clocking 31.15 seconds to better the 31.36 QTS while Garra claimed her place in the team by breaking the QTS of 1:09.52 in the girls-11-13 100-m back with a time of 1:08.98.
Florendo was triumphant in the girls 11-13 200-m fly shuttering the QTS (1:09.52) with a time of 1:08.98.
“We’re happy to see some unfamiliar names breaking the standard time in the Trials. This only proves that PAI swimming club members are seriously adopting the training program we crafted and distributed throughout our regional areas. We will review the results, para makita rin natin na puwedeng maisama yung ibang gold medalist na walang QTS but very potential,” said PAI Secretary-General Batangas 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain.
Filipino-American Gian Santos sweot his five-event, all-QTS-breaking performance after winning the boys 16-18 100-m freestyle at 50.70, almost three seconds off the 53.01 QTS. The incoming freshman at Columbian University in New York also broke QTS in the 400-m free (4:07.74) at 4:01.26; 200-m IM (2:11.87) at 2:05.99; 200-m free (1:55.45) at 1:51.39 and 200-m breast (2:22.78) at 2:18.30).
Homegrown star Jamesray Ajido became the winningest swimmer after collecting seven gold medals on top of two QTS performances after closing out his campaign with victory in the boys 14-15 100-m free (54.32).
Other gold medalist sans QTS are Richard Navo in the boys 11-13 100-meter free (59.42); Miguel Barreto (19-over, 51.53); Anika Kathryn Matiling in the girls 11-13 100-m free (1:03.00); Nuche Veronica Ibit (14-15, 1:01.59); Alyza Ng (19-over, 1;01.07); Arvin Taguinota in the boys 11-13 200-m backstroke (2:20.39), Joshua Par (19-over, 2:09.81); Catherine Cruz in the girls 16-18 200m back (2:29.13); Mishka Sy (19-over. 2:26.51);
Kyla Bulaga in the girls 14-15 200-m freestyle (2:28.92) and 800-m free (9:45.56); Shairinne Floriano (19-over, 2:23.84); Mohammad Mojdeh in the boys 11-13 200m butterfly (2:20.84); Rodevic Gonzalvo (14-15, 2:11.77); Juan Marco Daos (19-over, 2:07.99); Makayla Fetalvero in the girls 11-13 800-m free (10:06.80); Kacie Gabrielle Tionko (16-18, 10:03.51); Ricielle Maleeka Melencio (19-over, 10:09.60); Delljohn Edem in the boys 11-13 800-m free (10;00.22); Aishel Evangelista (14-15, 9:00.07); Paolo Miguel Labanon (16-18, 8:50.24) and Joshua Del Rio (19-over, 9:00.86)
