The Philippine Swimming Incorporated marked the return of youth competition last May 27-29 with the 2022 Philippine National Age Group Swimming Championships (PNAG) held at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.
A total of 512 athletes representing 63 member clubs across the nation competed in the meet.
“The success of the PNAG served as an indicator to PSI that the swimming community is ready to get back on track,” said PSI president Lani Velasco. “Our historic exploits in the 30th SEA Games in December 2019, the valiant performance of Luke Gebbie and Remedy Rule in the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021, the notable swims of our representatives in the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in December 2021, and another historic run especially by our female athletes at the recently concluded 31st SEA Games earlier in May 2022, have provided our grassroots swimmers with plenty of motivation and hope.
“I am especially excited to see that our swimmers, not just from Metro Manila, have maintained their form. At the PNAG, we saw plenty of swimmers from outside the capital rule their respective events!” she continued.
Making their mark at the PNAG were junior swimmers Joshua Gabriel Ang of Golden Sea Eagles and Jamesray Mishael Ajido of the Antipolo Gems Sea Scorpions.
Ang set a national record in the Junior 16-18 years old Boys’ 50m Butterfly event by touching at 25.10 seconds, erasing the mark of 25.43 seconds set by Rafael Barreto back on June 9, 2018.
For his part, Ajido established, not just one, but two national records of his own.
On the second day of PNAG, he broke the Junior 11-13 years old Boys’ 50m Butterfly record by registering a time of 27.18 seconds, enough to overcome the 27.75 seconds of Arbeen Miguel Thruelen last July 7, 2018. Later in the day, Ajido returned to the pool to notch another national record, this time in the Junior 11-13 years old Boys’ 200m Backstroke event by finishing with a time of 2:20.38, narrowly beating Ivo Nikolai Enot’s June 30, 2019 time of 2:20.61.
Truly, there are plenty of reasons for Velasco and PSI to be excited in the coming months and years. As the next SEA Games is less than a year away, PSI continues to be in full gear, raring to organize more local events for its members.
In fact, Velasco shared that “PSI is committed to resuming the Grand Prix, our flagship event for identifying grassroots talent. As we enter the second half of 2022, expect more regular events and activities from PSI.”
