By Edwin Rollon

CAPAS, Tarlac — Familiar names dominated the pool as the Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI)-organized National Age-Group Championships kicked off Friday at the New Clark City Aquatics Center, but the opening day saw both competition and grief following the sudden death of long-time swimming coach and PAI Technical Director Richard Gonzales Luna.

Olympians Eric Buhain and Akiko Thomson (far left) pose with Manish Mahtani (VP for Operations, Sprint International, Inc.) and PAI Executive Director Anthony Reyes after signing the partnership.

By Edwin Rollon

CAPAS, Tarlac — More than just a showcase of the country’s top swimmers, the National Swimming Championships has become a powerful platform for grassroots sports development, highlighting the Philippines’ long-term vision of building champions from the ground up.

US coach Stephen James Bialorucki

Local coaches and swimmers from various clubs and organizations affiliated with the Swim League Philippines (SLP) took part in an intensive Grassroots Development Camp, gaining hands-on lessons and advanced swimming techniques from American collegiate champion coach Stephen James Bialorucki.

Vargas, Buhain and Reyes.

By Edwin Rollon

Sportsman Miko Vargas and swimming legend Eric Buhain received a fresh mandate to lead Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI), reinforcing continuity as the federation ramps up grassroots development and international ambitions.

From left: MASCO Chief Dale Evangelista, Meiji See (Segment Head, Pedia Multivitamins), Anita Lim (Brand Manager, Growee), and organizer Darren Evangelista.

By Edwin Rollon

More than 300 young swimmers from 27 teams will see action in the Growee-Manila Swim Meet on Saturday, March 21, at the Teofilo Ildefonso Swimming Pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.

The steady development of Filipino young swimmers was on full display as the country’s rising talents held their own—and in many cases dominated—against Asia’s best student-athletes in the recently concluded AOSI Long Course Swimming Championships at the Assumption University Aquatic Center.