THIRTY-FOUR TOTAL podium finishes supercharge the FAST Ateneo Swimming Team as they near the end of their four-day contention at the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 Swimming Tournament.
Now with 305 points, the Men’s team now has their eyes on Ateneo’s eighth consecutive championship title heading into the last day, while the Women’s team continue to soar up the team point rankings (271) after their victories today.
Freestyle
International talent Marco Daos (1:57.17) seized the team’s first silver medal at the Men’s 200m Freestyle event after valiantly racing against DLSU’s Ted Laminta (1:55.72). Meanwhile, veterans Rafael Barreto (2:00.52) and Charles Ticbaen (2:01.97) claimed the sixth and eighth places for the Blue and White respectively. Covering the same distance for the Women’s division, Ricielle Melencio recorded a time of 2:15.02 minutes to finish in fourth place.
Butterfly
Despite their titanic efforts, Blue Eagles Ticbaen, Prince Rotoni, and Hjalmar Pasaylo narrowly missed out on a final round bid at the Men’s 50m Butterfly. However, returning with vengeance to the medal bout of the same event, Barreto finished in second place at 25.50 seconds.
On the other hand, the Blue and White tandem of Maiki Gonzaga and Team Captain Marjorie Manguiat also made an impressive appearance at the Women’s finals. Less than a split second apart, Gonzaga (30.01) emerged fifth while Manguiat concluded the race in eighth place (30.46).
Breaststroke
Team Captain Rian Tirol led the three-eagle charge at the Men’s 100m Breaststroke finals, capturing FAST’s third silver medal at 1:06.69 minutes. Meanwhile, veterans Rafael Isip (1:07.59) and Ianiko Limfilipino (1:07.74) made contact with the wall one after the other to take the sixth and seventh places.
Following the Men’s team were Sofia Isip and Nirel Ibarra, who both qualified for the Women’s 100m Breaststroke finals. Consequently, Isip (1:15.26) championed the Women’s team’s first gold medal today after cruising past her contenders, while Ibarra (1:17.45) earned the bronze medal seconds after.
Backstroke
Reigning MVP Phillip Joaquin Santos continued to convert more team points for Ateneo after winning another bronze medal this time at the Men’s 100m Backstroke. On the other hand, in the Women’s event, standout rookie Mishka Sy (1:06.72) clinched the silver medal over the same tenth-of-kilometer, while Samantha Coronel (1:07.95) came in fifth place.
Individual Medley (IM)
Santos’s sensational performance at the Men’s 400m Individual Medley (IM) propelled him meters past the competition as he scored another gold medal at 4:45.93 minutes. Following the Season 85 MVP was Limfilipino, who clocked in at 4:45.93 minutes to secure the silver medal. Meanwhile, Joshua Del Rio got to the finish line at 4:49.69, just short of a medal finish.
Over in the Women’s category, Sy (5:08.74) showed exceptional agility in the water to claw another gold medal for Ateneo in the same event. Just behind the rookie was Melencio, who concluded her race at 5:18.92 to claim the silver medal.
Relay
The Men’s 200m Freestyle Relay saw Ticbaen, Tirol, Pasaylo, and Isip joining forces in the last event of the day. Finishing fourth overall, the Blue Eagles’ seamless transitions and speed in the pool were not enough for them to bring home another team medal.
Freestyle queens Gonzaga, Isip, Charllyn Romanos, and Kimi Manuel put on a breathtaking show at the Women’s division, collecting another gold medal with their insurmountable team spirit. Ending the day on a high point, the Women’s Relay team touched down at 1:52.60.
Moving forward, as the Men’s championship team looks to secure its eighth year of dominance in UAAP waters, the Women’s team seeks to brandish more muscle in overtaking the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons for first place in the standings.
Current standings
Men’s Swimming
- ATENEO – 305 points
- DLSU – 244.50 points
- UP – 189.50 points
- UST – 137 points
Women’s Swimming
- UP – 316 points
- ATENEO – 271 points
- DLSU – 148 points
- UST – 133 points
