PRISAA: Echavez bags three more golds

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Swimmer Lorendale Echavez sustained her winning and record-breaking ways Monday in the PRISAA Collegiate National Games to boost her collection to five golds at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex here.

The 17-year-old University of San Carlos standout swam her way to win the women’s 800 and 100-meter free – both in new meet marks – then capped a sizzling 3-for-3 stint at the pool with a strong anchor leg as Central Visayas ruled the 200 freestyle relay in two minutes and 2.34 seconds.

Echavez winning times in the 800 (10.07.14) and 100 (1:00.9) broke the three-year-old standards of 10:39.01 and 1:05.02 also set here when Zamboanga hosted the Games in 2008 for the third time.

“Hopefully, I can add more golds to my collection tomorrow,” added the Mandaue City pride, who also won a silver in the 4x100-meter relay last Sunday and will be gunning for two more golds in the 400 and 4x200 freestyle relay at the windup of the swimming competitions Tuesday.

Looming as Echavez’s biggest threat as the most prolific swimmer was Region 4-A’s Jaevico Dalay, who boosted his haul to four golds following wins in the men’s 1,500 free (19:08.11) and 200 backstroke (2:28.04) to follow up on earlier victories in the 400 individual medley and 4x100 freestyle relay on the opening day.

“Although I was not expecting this, I am happy that I am helping both my region and our school,” said Dalay, 18, who won two golds in the 1,500 free and 400 IM in last year’s Ched National Games.

And the 5-foot-4 La Salle Dasmarinas sophomore’s gold medal duel with Echavez could go down the wire with the 400 free, 200 IM, 4X100 IM and 4x200 freestyle relays still to go in his schedule in this sportfest sponsored by Globe, Nature’s Spring mineral water, Bombo Radyo and Zamboanga Apparel.

Sharing the spotlight with Echavez and Dalay was another La Salle Dasma swimmers, Anna Jemimah Puyo after bagging her third gold in the 200 breaststroke (3:07.50) in yesterday’s action counting the 400 IM and 4x100 freestyle triumphs she had earlier.

The Calabarzon tankers continued to showcase their deep bench as they picked up six victories in 14 events, including Rizal Jurado in the men’s 100 free (57.78), Kaezer Salazar in the men’s 50 back (31.66), and Kimberly Briones in the women’s 50 back (34.51).