ALBERT Jose Amaro II and Sophia Rose Garra delivered podium finishes for the lean 10-member Philippine swimming team in their respective age-group classes at the close of the 47th Southeast Asia Age-Group Swimming Championships at the Singapore Sports Hub.
Both Palarong Pambansa standouts and record-breakers, Amaro claimed three medals, including the country’s lone gold, while Garra claimed a silver, a bronze, and two 4th place finishes in the three-day competition sanctioned by the World Aquatics, featuring the region’s best and toughest junior athletes.
The 17-year-old Amaro, an NCAA multi-medalist from San Beda College, clocked 25.15 seconds in the boys’ 16-18 50-meter butterfly, edging out Indonesian Jason Donovan Yusuf by a hair (25.16). Tedd Windsor Chan of Singapore claimed the bronze at 25.23.
Amaro, who scooped a record seven gold medals in last year’s Palaro in Cebu City, fell short on his back-to-back gold medal campaign with a silver finish in the 100-m freestyle (53.71) behind eventual winner Lidie of Malaysia (52.64).
On opening day, Amaro grabbed the bronze medal in the 100-m butterfly, clocking 55.72 seconds behind eventual winners Li Jie Goh of Malaysia (55.64) and Wongsakorn Patsamaran of Thailand (55.71). His teammates Fil-German Alecander Eichler and 2024 Asian Age-Group gold medal winner Jamesray Ajido finished 4th (55.82) and 5th (55.98), respectively.
Garra, protege of Olympian Jenny Guerrero at the WaveRunners Swim Club, took the silver medal in the girls’ 13-under 200-m backstroke with a time of 2:24.33, behind Thai Oravee Intaporn-Udom (2:20.33). Haw Yek Wo of Singapore finished third at 2:24.68.
The 14-year-old swimmer from Malabon City got the bronze in the girls’ 13-under 200-m Individual Medley with a time of 2:31.37 behind Ovavee of Thailand (2:26.03) and Pimchanok (2:27.50).
“Kudos to our young Philippine team for delivering another honor to our country from a tough international swimming campaign. To our young swimmers, my never-ending congratulations. And my heartfelt thanks for making winning a very welcome habit. Philippine swimming outlook is indeed looking great,” said Philippine Aquatics, Inc. secretary general and head of delegation, Rep. Eric Buhain.
The Olympian and Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the MVP Foundation, SMART Communications, Speedo and the Philippine Sports Commission.
