CONTINUING THEIR University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 campaign, the women of the FAST Ateneo Swimming Team garnered three podium finishes and set two new records, but also suffered eight eliminations. The FAST Ateneo Women’s Team was awarded one gold and two silver medals to add to their number after swimming across tougher tides in Day 3 of the tournament. 

Kicking off the finals as the sole Blue Eagle in the 200m Freestyle event, Portia Doragos finished in 6th place with a time of 2:18.86. 

In the 100m Breaststroke event, the Blue and White secured the top two places. Thanya Dela Cruz seized the gold medal and set the new UAAP record for the event. Clocking in at 1:08.64 in the finals, Dela Cruz beat her own UAAP record time of 1:09.85 which was set in the morning of Day 3. Meanwhile, Sofia Isip secured the silver medal in the same event as she finished with a time of 1:15.17. Teammates Charllyn Romanos and Nirel Ibarra placed 6th and 8th, finishing at 1:18.51 and 1:20.03, respectively.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles faced two eliminations in the 50m Butterfly event. Thanya Dela Cruz fell to 5th place at 30.18, while teammate Marjorie Manguiat finished 0.08 seconds after at 30.26, good for 6th. 

In the 100m Backstroke and 400m Medley events, the FAST Ateneo Women’s Team saw three individual losses. Samantha Coronel fell 0.1 seconds short of the bronze medal, placing 4th at 1:07.44 in the 100m Backstroke. Sofia Doragos and Nirel Ibarra ended their rallies at the 400m Medley at 5:40.50 and 5:49.77, claiming 7th and 8th place, respectively. 

Picking up the pace in the final event of the day were Kirsten Manuel, Sofia Isip, Ronalyn Lalimo, and Charllyn Romanos in 4x50m Freestyle. Setting the speed in the first 50m, Manuel raced to first place with a time of 28.72. Maintaining that front was Isip, finishing her turn at 56.75. The Blue and White were overtaken by the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the third rally, with Lalimo finishing at 1:25.64. Romanos secured the silver medal for the team as she concluded the relay with a time of 1:53.40. 

The Blue Eagles will charge ahead in the final day of their UAAP campaign tomorrow, November 27, at 8:30 AM at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in City of Manila.