UC, USC rule CESAFI swimfest

CEBU, Philippines - The University of Cebu and the University of San Carlos tankers reigned supreme in separate divisions as eight records were broken in the 2011 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) swimming event at the Cebu City Sports Center.

UC dominated the secondary level, while USC ruled the tertiary division.

UC claimed 28 golds, 19 silvers and five bronzes, while USC came out second with a 22-26-14 medal haul followed by Cebu Eastern College with four golds and a silver.

In the tertiary level, USC harvested 71 out of 72 golds at stake in the event. They also bagged 33 silvers and 10 bronzes.

The University of the Visayas snatched the lone gold missed by USC plus 23 silvers and 19 bronzes. Cebu Doctors' University got the third spot with only three bronzes.

USC’s Loren Dale Echavez and John Beltran led USC's charge that led them to becoming the Most Outstanding Athletes in their respective divisions.

UC’s Trina Cañeda and CEC’s Anthony Linn Navarro were the MOA recipients in the secondary category.

Four most outstanding athletes had another reason to celebrate as they shattered meets records.

Loren Dale Echavez led the record breakers with two individual and another one from the team event.

Echavez broke the 50m butterly mark of Larissa Ang established in 2005, from 32.47 to 32.41 seconds and Paula Abigail Vega’s 1:08.40 in the 100m freestyle in 2009 with her 1:05.58 clocking.

Echavez also powered USC to a record-breaking performance in the 4x50m freestyle with the time two minute and seven seconds along with sister Ara Denise, Lorens Go-yenechea, and Abegail Sakib.

Sakib also improved her record in the 200m individual medley, from 2:54.31 last year to 22:50.23 this time.

John Beltran vaulted USC men’s team record in the 4x100m freestyle with the time of 4:11.42.

In the secondary level, one of the oldest meet records fell with CEC’s Anthony Linn Navarro posting 1:08.20 in the 100m backstroke to erase Ruben Suerte’s 1:10.44 old mark.

Trina Cañeda, for her part, spearheaded the UC girls in establishing a record in the 4x50m medley relay with a 2:27.03 clocking. The other members of the team were Romelyn Ignacio, Merlyn Silver and Bethmay Arellano.

Another UC bet, Danielle May Ballesteros, broke her own record in the 200m breaststroke, from 3:08.44 to 3:05.66. (FREEMAN)