The Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc. Golden Goggle 3rd and 4th leg swimming championships blast off this weekend at the Teofilo Yldefonso swimming pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.
COPA board member and Samahang Manlalangoy ng Pilipinas president Chito Rivera said the idea to include BiFin swimmers and athletes with disabilities to their swimming event is part of COPA’s thrust in grassroots development, while helping all sectors and stakeholders in the sports.
“Under the leadership of COPA president and now Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain, we will make sure that nobody will be left behind in our quest to further develop the grassroots level, while strengthening the talents in the elite level, including the BiFin disciplines as well as supporting our brothers with disabilities,” said Rivera, also the mentor of Jose Rizal University in the NCAA.
“Also, this would help our BiFin swimmers and para athletes hone their skills in a couple of weeks before they join the Philippine delegation for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games and Para Asean Games in Cambodia. Mabigyan din natin ng tamang exposure ang sports sa mga bata ng sa ganoon ay madagdagan din ‘yung options nila in the future,” added Rivera.
Rivera revealed that COPA, through a memorandum of agreement with the Finswimming Federation of the Philippine, was tasked to conduct the national tryouts and form an eight-man (4 men’s and 4 women’s) BiFin swimming team for the Cambodia edition of the games.
Unlike classical (regular) swimming, BiFin is part of the Finswimming discipline using equipment such bifin and snorkel.
The Philippine team composed of Romina Rafaelle Gavino, Raissa Regatta, Eugenie Gavino, Marjorie Denise Manguiat and Sam Andrei Doragos bagged a bronze in the 4x100m surface event in the 2021 edition in Vietnam.
The Cambodia SEAG-bound members are Troy Castor, Kristoff Daniel David, Raymond Paloma, Renz Kenneth Santos (men), Alexi Cabayaran, Janine Dela Pax, Raina Samantha Leyran and Ishaelle Mae Villa (women).
Veteran internationalist Ramil Ilustre and UST’s Caezar Alcantara will mentor the squad.
‘During the 1st and 2nd legs last month, exhibition lang ‘yung sa para athletes natin, led by SEA Games multi-medalist Ernie Gawilan. But after that, we received a lot of inquiries so nag-decide si Cong. Buhain na isali na sa calendar of events para maging training na rin ng mga atleta,” said Rivera.
For the age-group event which Rivera said will be participated anew by students from public schools free of charge, all eyes are on Batangas native Clevic George Daluz, who topped the 8-year-old class, winning five gold medals in the event powered by Speedo and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and MILO.
Also tipped to win medals are triple-gold winners Marcus Pablo, John Rey Lee, Samantha Mia Mendoza and Jamie Aica Summer Sy, as well as Leviathan Swim Club athletes Kean Sebastian Paragatos, Ahston Clyde Jose and Yuri Acidre, who claimed golds in their respective age-grouping in the 200-meter freestyle.