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Swimmers make a splash, as PH National Open returns after pandemic hiatus

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Manolo Pedralvez

One win was actually a given while the other one was, to swimmer Thanya dela Cruz’s own admission, a pleasant surprise.Nonetheless, Dela Cruz’s twin wins, including resetting her own national record in the women’s 50-meter breaststroke in just 4 months, were the highlights Friday afternoon of the opening of the 2022 Philippine Swimming Inc. National Open at the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial pool.Under the banner of the Ayala Harpoons Swim Club, Dela Cruz handily won her favorite event in 32.49 seconds, surpassing her own national mark of 32.89 seconds at the Philippine Swimming Selection last October 22 at the New Clark City Aquatic Center in Capas town, Tarlac. Settling for runner-up honors was Shairrine Floriano of the Antipolo Gems Sea Scorpions (35.49) while Dela Cruz’s teammate, Sofia Annika Margare Isip (36.44), was 3rd in the competition supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and TYR swimming equipment. As icing on the cake, the 19-year-old Marikina City native surged past Best Paranaque’s Amina Isabelle Mondonedo in winning a riveting duel in the women’s 50-meter freestyle, clocking 27.95 seconds to the latter’s 28.72. Marko Shark SC’s Trixie Ortiguera took 3rd spot (29.30).“While I was expecting to win the 50-meter breaststroke, the win in the 50-meter freestyle was a pleasant surprise because it was just an added event for me,” said Dela Cruz who graduated from San Lorenzo High School, of her triumphant double. She was hoping to add a 3rd victory in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke Saturday in the swimming championship organized by PSI for locally based national team aspirants for the 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games set May 12 to 23 in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi and neighboring areas.Best Main’s Jasmine Mojde, a former Palarong Pambansa elementary division standout, was among the early winners, topping the spine-tingling women’s 100-meter butterfly event with a time of 1:03.89 over veteran Kirsten Chloe Daos, who placed 2nd (1:04.10). Rising Atlantis SC’s Camille Buico, another former Palaro phenom, finished a close 3rd (1:04.20).All Star Swim Club’s Xiandi Chua, who won a bronze medal at the 2019 SEA Games, handily won the women’s 200-meter individual medley in 2:23.31 while ex-Palaro ace Miguel Barreto of Ayala Harpoons SC took the men’s 200-meter IM race (2:13.97).Barreto duplicated Dela Cruz’s victorious double in clinching the men’s 400-meter freestyle with a time of 4:13.08, while Daos took the distaff side (4:37.99). Both competing for the Quezon City Buccaneers SC, Armand Pierre Chan and Mishka Sy topped the men’s and women’s 100-meter backstroke in clockings of 58.80 and 1:08.91, respectively.Meanwhile, PSI president Lani Velasco expressed her gratitude to the PSC board led by Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez for fixing the Rizal Memorial pool in time for the PSI National Open.Not only was the Olympic standard 50-meter pool fixed, including the installation of new touchpads and electronic scoreboard, but both the warm-up and diving pools also underwent renovation to meet competition standards, Velasco pointed out.“If I am right, this is the first time in decades that this pool has undergone a major renovation, which would not have been possible without the support and assistance of the PSC,” Velasco noted.“This is such a transformative gift by the PSC to our swimmers and the swimming community. We appreciate the PSC’s strong message of support,” she added of the marked improvements done to the facility that will benefits clubs and local swimmers located within Metro Manila.Velasco said that the swimming body intended more PSI competitions in the months to come at the Rizal Memorial pool as conditions slowly return to normal after virtually having no meets for nearly 2 years since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in mid-March of 2020.

Marikina’s Thanya dela Cruz led the winners on the opening day of the National Open at the newly refurbished Rizal Memorial pool.