DEBUTING AS a Filipina Olympian, Kayla Sanchez qualified for the semifinals heat of the Women’s 100m Freestyle event after clocking in a new Philippine record in the 2024 Summer Olympics. The tournament was held today at the Paris La Défense Arena in Paris, France.

Entering Paris 2024 as a two-time Olympic medalist previously representing Canada, Sanchez transferred to the Philippine swimming contingent with high expectations. With the nation’s medal hopes on the line, she entered the competition undeterred by the immense pressure.

Standing at lane one of the fourth heat, Sanchez went up against acclaimed tankers, including top-seeded Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong at lane four and world champion Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands at lane five.

The Filipina launched off with a reaction time of 0.66 seconds to commence the heat and maintained a speed of 1.83 m/s to position herself in third, trailing behind the United States’ Torri Huske and France’s Marie Wattel. At the 50-meter mark, Sanchez tapped the wall at 25.63 seconds, landing herself at the fifth spot.

Quick to respond, however, the Filipina took back her lead at third, merely 0.3 meters away from the leading Haughey. As time elapsed across the waters, the swimmer ended her heat at 53.67 seconds, surpassing her previous record of 54.25 seconds in the same event to set a new Philippine record.

Finishing fourth behind Haughey, Steenbergen, and Huske in her heat, Sanchez ranked 10th among the 29 competitors in all heats after all the recorded times from the meet, securing herself a spot in the event’s semifinal round.

After her exemplary showing, the Filipina tanker looks to continue contesting the tides in the semis, which will take place tomorrow, July 31, at 3:33 AM in the same venue, to punch a ticket into the finals.