CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Blue Marlins Swim Club did not only claim the overall crown but also owned half of the Most Outstanding Swimmer awardees during the 1st Osky Mabilog Memorial Cup National Age-Group Swimming Competition over the weekend at the Cebu City Sports Center.
The eight swimmers who were part of multi-titled CBM include Rhys Michael Tapang and Kristina Angelika Torres in the 6-under class, Karen Indaya in the 8-under division, Anthony Linn Navarro in the 10-under, Noel Cañeda in the 17-under and Michael David Vega, Beverly Vasig and Aimee Sanchez in the 18-above.
The other top swimmers in the different categories were Palawan’s Angelo Del Cruz and Kirschtine Balbuena of General Santos City 8-under,Gail Maxine Cravajal in 10-under, Cagayan’s Jethro Chua and Negros’ Tonie Rose Sayson in the 12-under, Negros’ John Paul Bayona and Lea Martinez in the 14-under, and Bea Felise Garrido in the 17-under.
Aside from the individual honors, the top CBMSC swimmers powered their team to the overall supremacy with 7,356 points in this Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA)-sanctioned competition.
CBM was already way ahead of their challengers at the end of the first day, but the wards of coach Rolando Alvarez were far from tiring out of seizing gold medals that paved the way for a very impressive overall performance.
CBM’s Noel Caneda added six more golds, Beverly Vasig and Jeffrey Yana had three golds apiece, Aimee Sanchez, Rhys Michael Tapang, Kristina Torres, Anthony Linn Navarro, and Danielle Ballesteros deposited two golds each,while Robin Jakobsen, Jose Pantaleon, Lyh Ann Navarro, Michael Ichiro Kong and Isias Gabunada handed over a gold each.
The Negros Oriental Blue Dolphins landed at far second with 2,376 points, while the Iloilo Sea Warriors ended third with 2,135 points.
The fourth to 13th placers were Cagayan de Oro Swim Club (1,874), Iligan Spring Eels (720), North Shores Waves Swim Club (680), Blue Sharks (564), Dadiangas Torpedoes (539.50), Binirayan Tadpoles (421.50), Philspada-Cebu City (280), Palawan Swimming Club (200), the University of San Jose-Recoletos (162) and the Dipolog Blue Marlins Swim Club (142). – Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (THE FREEMAN)