Team Ilustre East Aquatics continued its dominance, collecting 30 gold medals, including 17 in the BiFin event as it claimed the overall team championship on Sunday at the close of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc. Golden Goggle 3rd and 4th legs at the Teofilo Yldefonso swimming pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.
After leading the team to 21 gold medals on opening day Saturday, national junior record holder in the boys’ 13-under Jamesray Mishael Ajido pulled off another remarkable performance, winning four gold medals, including three in the BiFin event as Team Ilustre topped the combined team scores with 4,682 points in the tournament powered by Speedo and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and MILO.
The 14-year-old veteran internationalist bested his opponents in the BiFin 100 freestyle, clocking 52.27 seconds, as well as in the 200 free (1:56.15) and 50 free (22.80).
The Grade 7 student from Montessori Integrated School-Antipolo claimed his fourth gold, winning the classic (regular) swimming event in the boys’ 100m backstroke with a time of 1:02.47.
Other multiple-gold medal winners in BiFins, under Team Ilustre were Zoe Adrienne Terrible in the girls’ 16-yrs 200 free (2:16.11), 50 free (27.56) and 100 free (1:00.25); Yoana Ysabelle Bersamin in the girls’ 13-yrs 200 free (2:20.83), 200 free (2:56.99), and 50free (28.57); and Rio Rafaella Balbuena in the girls’ 17-yrs 200 free (2:18.59), 50 free (27.17), 100 free (1:02.67) and 100m back in classical swim (1:20.87).
Also contributing to Team Ilustre’s runaway win were Luke Amber Arano in the boys’ 17-yrs 50 free (22.33), Allyssa Cabatian in the girls’ 15-yrs 50 free (26.02) and 100 free (57.27), Ethan Dulin in the boys’ 15-yrs 100 free (55.77), Claine Lim in the girls’ 13-yrs 100 free (1:20.24), Ruth Sula in the girls’ 15-yrs 100 free (1:21.54) and Andrina Rose Victor in the girls’ 9-yrs 200free (3:01.76).
“‘Yung purpose namin to include BiFin events is to expose the discipline sa ating mga batang swimmers and to their parents. Hindi naman kami nagkamali dahil marami ‘yung sumali and mas mabilis ‘yung time nila than sa classic swimming. Through COPA president and Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain, regular na sa calendar of events natin ang BiFin at para swimmers. Talagang nagulat at natuwa ang ating crowd sa kanila,” said tournament director Chito Rivera.
Rivera said he expects a bigger number of participants in COPA’s next tournament – the Inter-School and Inter-Club Championships – on May 20 and 21, also at the RSMC venue.
