Akiko Thomson: In the swim of things

MANILA, Philippines - If there is one thing admirable about Olympic swimmer Akiko Thomson, it is her still unassuming attitude despite all her achievements. Akiko has never ever let herself be drowned by fame. She looks back and acknowledges her many sacrifices as an athlete and how all these have molded her to become the person that she is today.

“Sports necessitates discipline,” Akiko says. “I learned so much about myself and others and their expectations. I also learned how to win and lose gracefully. I also appreciated the need for good health, something I carry through life.”

Asked about her greatest legacy, Akiko believes, “Humility aside, I suppose my accomplishments in swimming.” She competed in three Olympic games and brought the country honor in the SEA Games many times. An important milestone in her swimming career was her being sent to the US to train. “It brought my career to the next level, like I switched gears.”

Akiko, who has already retired from swimming, reveals she’s learned a lot from her swimming stint. “I’ve learned how to live by my own expectations and not others’.” She has since moved on to another life-changing career: motherhood.

Akiko and baby Noah.

Getting married and becoming a mother were turning points in her life. “After getting married, my life became a partnership. When you become a parent, your life is never the same again. In both cases, I realized more and more it was no longer about me,” she muses.

Her husband Samuel Guevara and 11-month-old son Noah Ricardo Marsh are what keep her afloat despite the many roles she plays. The doting mother makes sure to instill in her son the fear and love of God, respect for others and the importance of hard work and humility. “I’m excited to see him grow up and see his personality evolve. I like to watch him discover new things and learn how to express himself.”

The lovely family enjoys out-of-town vacations and movie marathons. Their bonding activities? Swimming, of course. “And traveling without a yaya!” laughs Akiko, who reads the Bible when she wakes up and prays with her husband before going to sleep.

Despite all her many achievements, she admits she still wants to do a lot of things. “I’d like to perform on stage someday as I did in high school and take a mosaic class,” says Akiko, who is also one of the commissioners of the Philippine Sports Commission and who, together with her husband, runs the swim program of a prestigious Catholic school in Makati.

In her leisure time, Akiko goes to massage and nail care spas. Her beauty secrets include putting on sunblock and religiously cleaning her face with a moisturizer at night. “And I eat a lot of vegetables,” she adds. Staples in her makeup kit are lip balm, lip gloss, mascara and powder.

“I value people, the importance of treating them with respect and dignity,” Akiko philosophizes. “I value family, friendships and most of all, my faith in God.”

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Photography by JOHN DARILAG • Styling by BELLE CAMARSI • Hair and makeup by ARMAN MISTA • Red jersey dress, cream belt, gold and pearl necklace, all from Cole Vintage, Markati Palazzo, Podium Mall • Silk belted top and black leggings, multi-strand four-color necklace and bangles, all from ForMe, Robinsons Galleria • White chiffon dress and mint green necklace, both from Trois Boutique, Archaeology Wing, Power Plant Mall