UC tankers to join Olango Challenge

CEBU, Philippines - SOME of University of Cebu's top swimmers will vie for the top honors of this year's Olango Challenge, an open water competition in Tambuli Resort in Mactan Island this Saturday.

Leading the cast is former RP open water bet Paula Abigail Vega along with her brother Michael David Vega. The two are set to compete in the premiere 6-kilometer action.

Cristine Indaya and Jerose Rosada also join the Vegas in the 6-k division.

Four other UC swimmers, Noel and Trina Cañeda, Romylin Niña Ignacio, and Joyce Huguete will be competing in the 2-km division.

All UC swimmers, who are also part of the Cebu Blue Marlins, are hoping to give their school and club more reasons to be proud of them following their successful bid in the just-concluded first leg of the 2011 G-League Regional Long Course Swimming Championships at the Cebu City Sports Center.

CBM spearheaded by coach Rolando Alvarez won the overall championships with 1,069 points total with Silliman University at far second with 550 points as the Bohol Dolphins landed third with 421 points.

Aside from the overall championships, host CBM put an icing to its cake with some of their bets emerging as the most outstanding swimmers.

Anthony Linn Navarro, one of the country's representatives in the 2011 SEA Age-group Swimming Championships in Vietnam came up with seven golds to come out the best in the boys' 13 category.

Michael Ichiro Kong, for his part, bagged five golds to dominate the boys' 12 while Jobert Indaya's three golds were enough to make him the top boys' 9 entry as Rocin Jakobsen ruled the Boys'14 with one gold and two silvers while Noel Cañeda's five golds and silver made him the best among the boys'18 and above entries.

In the distaff side, named as most outstanding were Karen Mae Indaya with five golds and two silvers to rule the girls 11, Lyh Ann Navarro for the girls'12 with six golds and a silver, Razel Cabajar in the girls' 13 with four golds and Romilyn Niña Ignacio in the 16-under category with three golds and a silver.

Other CBM swimmers, who also made valuable contribution to the lone Cebu team, were Paula Abigail Vega with two golds, three silvers and a bronze, Christine Indaya, Joshua Rosada and JE Rose Rosada with a gold each,

Tara Kyla Ebon with 1-1-1, Annita Munterola with 1-2-1, Danielle Mae Ballesteros with a gold and two bronzes, Trina Cañeda with 1-2-1, and Beth Mae Arellano with a gold and three silvers