Kayla Sanchez finally claimed the individual gold she had been chasing, leading a thrilling Filipino 1-2 finish in the women’s 100-meter freestyle at the 33rd SEA Games on Friday at the Sports Authority of Thailand Aquatics Center in Bangkok.
The Olympian edged out compatriot and top qualifier Heather White with a time of 54.82 seconds, narrowly missing the Games record of 54.74 seconds set by Singapore’s Quah Ting Wen in 2019.
(C) POC Media
Sanchez and White raced neck-and-neck in the first 50 meters, but the more experienced Sanchez surged ahead midway through the second half. She then held off a late charge from White to secure the top podium spot.
Quah, the reigning Games champion, settled for bronze at 55.60 seconds.
White’s silver marked her second medal of the Games, finishing in 55.36 seconds, while Sanchez celebrated a triumphant comeback after taking home two silvers the previous day in the 50-meter backstroke and 200-meter freestyle.
Meanwhile, Gian Santos finished fourth in the men’s 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:27.59, just missing the podium.
