Age-group swimming set Friday

The Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) will host the 1st National Age Group Championships (PANAGOC) this weekend at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool inside the famed Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.

The three-day event which starts on Friday, June 21, will feature the country’s top junior swimmers including Asian junior gold medalist and record holder Jamesray Mishael Ajido, two-time World Junior Championship campaigner Jasmine Mojdeh, and fellow Asian meet campaigner Aishel Evangelista, Patricia Mae Santor, and Ricielle Maleeka Melencio.

Newly appointed PAI Executive Director Anthony Reyes said around 700 swimmers from more than 50 teams and swimming clubs nationwide have been confirmed to participate in the biggest local swimming competition since PAI introduced the national ranking system for all local swimming body registered members.

The meet format is timed Finals for Class A, B, and C 8-under, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18-over age groups. The Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic Committee, and Speedo sponsor the event.

PAI Secretary-General Batangas 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain said a short tribute for the late Executive Director Francisco ‘Chito’ Rivera will highlight the opening ceremony on Friday at 8:00 a.m. The 67-year-old Rivera, varsity swimming head coach of the Jose Rizal University and co-founder of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics (COPA) succumbed to a heart attack recently.

“Coach Chito (Rivera) is a great loss to Philippine aquatics. But his legacy lives on as we continue to put our best foot forward to further enhance the development of swimming and the other disciplines in aquatics. We’re targeting a better future in open water, water polo, diving, and artistic swimming, from regional to national levels,” said Buhain.

The swimmer’s registration was Rivera’s brainchild and now legacy added Buhain.

“All these align with coach Chito’s hard work and planning, and we take pride in continuing these reforms to improve aquatics for all concerned,” said the two-time Olympian and Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer.

PAI president Miko Vargas will join Buhain in the ceremony. Also invited to witness the handover of the plaque of recognition to Rivera’s family are Philippine Olympic Association (POA) president and swimming icon Akiko Thompson, and two-time Olympian and former National mentor Pinky Brosas.

Ajido, 15, became the talk of the town he gave the country the first-ever gold medal at the Asian level after ruling the boys’ 12-14 100m butterfly at the 11th Asian Age Group Championships last February at the New Clark City Aquatics Center. His winning time of 55.98 seconds was a new meet record, erasing the 56.36 set by Chinese Wang Yu Xiang in 2019.