SLP tankers snare 10 more golds in Bangkok
MANILA, Philippines: Swim League Philippines (SLP) continued to make waves in the 2024 Asian Open School Invitational (AOSI) Aquatics Championships, winning 10 gold, four silver and two bronze medals on Sunday at the Assumption University Aquatic Center (ABAC) Suvarnabhumi Campus in Bangkok, Thailand.
Leading the onslaught of Team Philippines in the second day of the tournament was Alarie Somuelo who secured three gold medals in the girls’ 18-over class.
Somuelo submitted two minutes and 18.78 seconds to earn the top honors in the 200-m freestyle event before claiming two more mints in the long distance events — 800-m freestyle (10.45.22) and 1500-m freestyle (20:33.72).
Also delivering a sterling performance was Palarong Pambansa gold medalist and veteran international campaigner Aishel Cid Evangelista who topped the boys’ 12 to 13 200-m breaststroke with a time of 2:40.23.
Sharing the spotlight were fellow gold medalists Kevin Arguzon, Antonio Joaquin Reyes, Kean Sebastian Paragatos, Sophia Rose Garra, Paulene Beatrice Obebe and Ylaenna Lonzaga.
Arguzon dominated the boys’ 16 to 17 100-m butterfly in 59.14 seconds while
Reyes copped the gold in the boys’ 14 to 15 100-m butterfly in 1:00.51.
On the other hand, Paragatos ruled the boys’ 12 to 13 50-m backstroke (30.95), Garra reigned supreme in the girls’ 10 to 11 50-m breaststroke (39.15), Obebe got gold in the girls’ 14 to 15 50-m freestyle (28.53) and Lonzaga wound up first in girls’ 7-year 50-m freestyle (40.89).
Zachary Joseph Tovera (boys’ 12 to 13 50-m backstroke, 31.52), Ignacio Javier Avellano (boys’ 6-under 50-m backstroke, 47.87), Marc Justin Yu (boys’ 16 to 17 800m freestyle, 9:22.24) and Kenzie Bengson (girls’ 800-m 9-year freestyle, 11:50.06) won one silver each in their respective events.
After winning a couple of gold medals in the opening day, Immaculate Heart of Mary College-Parañaque standout Mikhael Jasper Mojdeh chipped in one more bronze in the boys’ 8-year 100m butterfly (1:39.42) while Behrouz Mohammad Mojdeh also added a bronze in the boys’ 12 to 13 200-m breaststroke (2:46.98).
“We are so proud of these young swimmers. This is the result of the program started by our beloved coach Susan Papa. I know that she’s also proud of these swimmers,” said PH BEST team manager Joan Mojdeh.