Ajido, Jacinto shine in Speedo Sprint Meet

‘I can now continue my training. Hopefully, I can regain my physical conditioning before the National tryouts next month’

Jamesrey Mishael Ajido and Jerard Dominic Jacinto topped their respective age-group classes to emerge as most outstanding swimmers in the Speedo Sprint Meet at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Sunday.

Underscoring their status as the country’s finest homegrown swimmers, Ajido collected three gold medals in the junior class while Jacinto won two events in the 17-over division of the tournament organized by Speedo and sanctioned by the Philippine Aquatics, Inc. with support from the Philippine

Sports Commission.

The 15-year-old Ajido, a gold medalist in the Asian Age-Group Championship last February in New Clark City, delivered the goods in the boys 15-yrs-old 100-meter Individual medley in 59.74 seconds, 50m backstroke in 27.73 seconds and 50m butterfly in 25.10 seconds.

The FTW Royal Swim Club mainstay demolished rivals John Felipe of Wave Warriors, who clocked one minute and 07.57 seconds, and Sean Quides of Atlantean, who notched 1:20 in the IM before beating Reis Heaven Dumadag of Black Marlin (31.71 seconds) and Felipe (32.71 seconds) in the back.

Ajido completed his three-event sweep via an easy win in the fly event against Jeff Galvealban of Legend Swim (28.99 seconds) and Felipe (29.29 seconds).

“I am thankful because my left shoulder is now finally healed,” Ajido, a Grade 10 student at De La Salle Greenhills, said.

“I can now continue my training. Hopefully, I can regain my physical conditioning before the National tryouts next month.”

The National trials are set from 15 to 18 August for the long course and 20 to 23 August for the short course at the same venue. Those who will make it will be tapped for the national team that will participate in the 46th Southeast Asian Age Group Swimming Championships in December, the 55th Singapore National Age Group and the 6th Malaysian Open Swimming both scheduled next year and the World Aquatics short course series also next year.

For his part, the 23-year-old Jacinto, a Southeast Asian Games multi-medalist, dominated the 17-over class 50m backstroke clocking 25.45 seconds against STW Royals teammate Ryan Belenag (26.98 seconds) and Raven Henry (27.99 seconds) of Betta Caloocan.