Swim marks fall

CEBU, Philippines - Records tumbled in the swimming event of the 2011 Milo Little Olympics Visayas as a total of ten meet records fell at the Cebu City Sports Center pool yesterday.

University of Bohol’s Patrick Louie Birad, who won 5 golds, made the biggest impact among all record-breakers by setting two. He timed 1:06.69 in the elementary boys’100-meter freestyle to erase Kirk Ebon’s 1:10.11 mark, which was established in 2007.

 Birad duplicated his feat in the 50-M butterfly event with a time of 31.59 to erase one of the oldest existing records of 31.76 seconds set by Matthew Vega in 1996.

Another 1996 mark that was reset was that of the elementary girls’4x50-M freestyle relay of 2:34.02. The new mark was set by Silliman University’s Sophia Gravador, Kristina Denise Paraiso, and Micah and Carlin Ruelo, who timed 2:24.32.

Three other relay records were shattered with University of San Carlos improved its 2009 record in the secondary boys’4x100-M medley relay with a time of 4:45.99.

Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in the elementary boys’ 4x50-M freestyle relay with a time of 2:23.91.

Cynthjun Goden also of USC now owns the secondary boys’ 800-M freestyle mark previously held by teammate Kirk Ebon. Goden clocked 10:05.71.

Goden also broke the 100-M breaststroke of John Bayona in 2007 with his 1:17.62 clocking.

Lyh Ann Navarro of Cebu Eastern College emerged as the record breaker in the elementary girls’100-M freestyle.

The two other records were established in the first day of competition with Michael Ichiro Kong breaking the secondary boys’ 200-meter individual medley of 2:32.42 of John Beltran with his 2:32.42 clocking and Job Vincent Asinero in the 50-M breaststroke of 38.25 from 38.90 by Raymond Montebon in 2000. - THE FREEMAN