Open water swim race slated Nov. 30 in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines - A combined fun and competitive open water swim event is set on Nov. 30 in Malabrigo in Lobo, Batangas to help raise funds for the Childhope Asia Philippines, a foundation for street children.

Dubbed as the Childhope Open Water Swim and organized by the Akiko Thomson Swim School, the event features 1K and 2K distance races for both men and women in different age categories, including a two-person relay. The age categories for both distances are 14 to 25 years old and 26 and above.

The race is set at 10 a.m. for the individual and relay races in the 2K distance with the fun events, where participants can use fins or any flotation device having the same age groupings.

“The Childhope foundation’s primary activity is a street education program where street children are provided values training and alternative learning to enable them to obtain a high school diploma. But it needs additional funds to continue its activities for the 1,200 children registered under the program,“ said Philippine Sports commissioner Akiko-Thomson Guevara, a three-time swimming Olympian who also won seven gold medals in five SEA Games stints.

Cash prizes are at stake in the Open men’s and women’s competitive races of the event supported by Philippine Swimming Inc. Interested participants have until Nov. 15 to avail of the early bird discounted entry fee of P700, inclusive of a finisher shirt and a race cap, but registration will be up to actual race day at P900 per entry.

Entry forms can be downloaded while entry fees can be deposited at the PSI account at the Ayala branch of Bank of Commerce with the registration updated through the FB page, Childhope Openwater Swim. Interested parties may email [email protected] or fax +632 3250112.