By Edwin Rollon
CAPAS, Tarlac — Veteran internationalists Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Fil-British swimmer Riannah Coleman delivered golden performances. At the same time, rising stars Kyla Bulaga and Aishel Evangelista dominated their respective divisions to highlight the closing day of the National Long Course Age Group Championships on Sunday at the New Clark City Aquatics Center.
Ajido, 17, a multi-titled junior record holder from La Salle Greenhills, reaffirmed his status as one of the country’s top young sprinters after ruling the boys’ 17 class 50-meter freestyle in 24.29 seconds and the 100m butterfly in 54.83 seconds, an equivalent of 733 FINA points.
Coleman, 16, representing Dax Halili Swim Club, showcased her versatility by capturing the girls’ 17 class titles in the 100m breaststroke (1:12.49) and 100m butterfly (1:06.18), boosting her credentials for upcoming international competitions.
The three-day meet, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Speedo, and the MVP Sports Foundation, also served as a key selection event for the Philippine National Junior Team set to compete in international tournaments, including the Southeast Asian Age Group Championships in Singapore and the Asian Age Group Championships.
Philippine Aquatics, Inc. Secretary General Eric Buhain praised the success of the championships, citing the depth of talent and the high level of competition.
“This meet has been a big success for Philippine swimming,” said Buhain. “We are seeing not just our established swimmers perform well, but also a new generation stepping up. That’s very encouraging as we continue to build a strong pipeline for international competitions.”
Ajido outpaced Matt Aaron Nerison (25.16) and Almar De Leon (25.75) in the 50m freestyle, and later held off Gilbert Gonzalbo (59.74) and Gabriel Dimandal (1:00.99) in the 100m event. His performance marked a significant improvement from his previous best of 55.11 in last year's Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, where he settled for a silver medal against some of the best young swimmers from 44 countries in Asia.
Coleman, a standout from the National Academy of Sports, dominated Taylor Brooke Salida (1:18.14) and Beverlyn Grace Mendoza (1:21.92) in the breaststroke event, and prevailed over Singatala Cuevas (1:07.31) and Marta Rodriguez (1:08.94) in the butterfly.
Evangelista, representing Beta Swim Club, capped an impressive campaign with victories in the boys’ 17 class 100m breaststroke (1:11.46), 200m backstroke (2:17.23), and 400m freestyle (4:17.42). The University of Santo Tomas standout finished with six gold medals, adding wins in the 1500m freestyle (17:10.99), 200m freestyle (1:58.89), and 200m breaststroke (2:33.86).
Bulaga, meanwhile, emerged as the most decorated swimmer of the meet with seven gold medals. The 16-year-old pride of Ilocos Sur topped the girls’ 16 class 400m individual medley (5:11.25) and 400m freestyle (4:39.02), and also ruled the 200m IM, 1500m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, and 800m freestyle. Bulaga is the youngest member of the Philippine team that competed in last year’s Southeast Asian Games.
“The performances we’ve seen here show that our grassroots development programs are working,” Buhain added. “These young swimmers are the future, and competitions like this give them the exposure and experience they need.”
Other noted name in the podium included SEA Games veteran Xiandi Chua in the 19-over class 100m free (27.02); Albert Jose Amaro in 100m free (22.93) in 100m fly (54.29); Shinloah San Diego in the 18-yrs (1:21.49); Patricia Santor in girls 15-yrs 400m IM (5:19.24) and 100m fly (1:03.54); Kacie Gabrielle Tionko of Salabites in the girls 16-ys 400m IM ( 4:15.15).
For complete results, visit the official website and social media pages of Philippine Aquatics Inc.
