PSC lauds swim bodies, backs PASA

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission has started to encourage other groups to train and develop swimmers in an effort to widen the base of talents who could be tapped for future national teams.

In fact, the government sports funding agency recently sanctioned and supported the recent Sen. Nikki Coseteng Swimming Championships at the Rizal Memorial pool.

PSC chair Richie Garcia, however, stressed that the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association under Mark Joseph remains the recognized aquatics body as far as the Philippine Olympic Committee is concerned although the PSC is now open to support other groups staging youth competitions.

Ironically, the Coseteng swimfest, aimed at producing young, talented swimmers, was organized by a group seeking for a leadership change at PASA.

But for Garcia, it’s all about sports and Phl swimming in general.

“We recognize PASA as a member of the POC,” said Garcia.

“But other groups are welcome to develop their swimmers. We are for the Phl swimmers in general.”

Observers note that the PSC’s latest stand is an offshoot of swimming’s dismal performance in the recent SEA Games where it failed to land a single gold medal for the first time in less than a decade.

The Phl settled for two silvers courtesy of Dorothy Grace Hong in the 200m backstroke and Jessie Khing Lacuna in the 200m freestyle. It also brought home five bronzes through Hong (50m back and 100m back), the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relay teams of Ryan Arabejo, Jose Gonzales, Lacuna and Lee Anderson and Arabejo (1,500m freestyle).

Fil-Am Miguel Molina used to anchor the country’s campaign in various international competitions, leading the Phl’s 4-4-5 (gold-silver-bronze) haul in the 2005 SEA Games in Manila.

The Phl also bagged eight golds, three silvers and seven bronzes in the 2007 SEAG in Thailand and had a 4-6-1 collection in the 2009 Laos Games.