Kayla Sanchez and Gian Santos spearheaded a lean Philippine squad at the 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, delivering standout performances against traditional swimming powerhouses the United States, Canada, and Australia this weekend.
Both swimmers earned multiple finals berths while rewriting Philippine national records.
Sanchez led the Filipino contingent by placing sixth overall in both the women’s 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle, emerging as the top Asian finisher in both events.
She also rewrote the Philippine record books, clocking 24.86 seconds in the 50m freestyle and 53.46 seconds in the 100m freestyle.
Santos likewise made a significant impact on familiar turf.
On the opening day of competition, racing at the home venue of his childhood club, Irvine Novaquatics, Santos set a new national record in the men’s 200m freestyle with a time of 1:49.78.
He closed his campaign on a high note by clocking 2:02.15 in the men’s 200m individual medley, setting a personal best on the final day of racing.
The four-swimmer Philippine roster was rounded out by 33rd Southeast Asian Games medalists Logan Noguchi and Chloe Isleta, with University of British Columbia coach Derrick Schoof calling the shots for Sanchez.
The meet marked the team’s first major international competition since the SEA Games in December 2025.
With the 20th Asian Games just a month away, and the swimming events set to take place at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the record-breaking performances in Irvine offer an encouraging sign for Sanchez, Santos, and Noguchi as they aim to contend for podium finishes on the continental stage.
