With the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79 swimming tournament fast approaching, tankers Axel Ngui and Jessie Lacuna upped their game in preparation for the Blue Eagles’ quest for a third championship by donning the Philippines’ colors at the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam from September 24, 2016-October 1, 2016.

Having just recently concluded its fifth edition of the tournament, the Asian Beach Games (ABG) invites athletes from around the continent to compete in air sports, extreme sports, aquatics, and triathlons every four years. Organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OAC), the ABG includes multiple variations of field games such as beach soccer, Asian cultural sports such as sepak takraw, and even events such as surfing and water skiing.

No strangers to the world of international swimming, the two Atenean duo geared up for marathon swimming in open water, representing the men’s team opposite Claire Adorna and Courtney Gray on the women’s tandem. Olympian Jessie Lacuna finished 11th in the 10km with a time of 2:26:53.6, while Team Captain Axel Ngui suited up for the 5km race to place 10th with a time of 1:05:14.0.

With both Eagles swimming in an open water competition for the first time, the greatest hurdle the duo faced was battling an environment totally different from the pools they were used to.

“The hard part is going against the waves,” shares Ngui, “The experience was completely different from UAAP because I’m trained to swim in a pool which has minimal waves and is closed.”

“Open water swimming kasi is in a sea, ocean, or beach,” agrees Lacuna, “So the swimming area is huge unlike in a swimming pool na may mga lines.”