Navarro bags tops award in G-League swimfest

CEBU, Philippines - Anthony Linn Navarro of the Cebu Blue Marlins Swimming Club capped his stellar performance in style, taking home the most outstanding swimmer award in the 12-year-old category during the G-League National Age Group Swimming Championship over the weekend at the Trace Aqua Sports Center in Los Baños, Laguna.

The pride of Cebu Eastern College (CEC) clinched four golds and a silver medal in five events that he participated.

Navarro swam to a golden finish in the100m and 200m individual medley, 50m backstroke and 200m backstroke. He got silver in the 400m individual medley.

“I’m glad and felt blessed because I was able to sustain the title, this time in a higher age-group. I really exerted a lot of effort in every event that I participated this year,” said Navarro.

“The victory was an early Christmas gift for me and this would even motivate me to excel more in the competitions that I will be joining in the future,” he added.

Michael Ichiro Kong, on the other hand, missed the honors in the 11-year-old bracket as he snatched only two golds in the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle. Anthony Linn's sister Lyh Ann could only salvage a pair of bronze medals in the 800m freestyle and 50m butterfly.

Still, CBM coach Rolando Alvarez is proud and satisfied with the overall showing of his wards.

“Even if we only have five representatives this year, they were able to make some noise in the national scene with every gold medal that these swimmers get from their respective events,” said Alvarez. (THE FREEMAN)