UAAP standout wins PSL top swim recognition

MANILA, Philippines - Ma. Claire Adorna, the Universiade veteran who invoked her right to compete in the UAAP, won four gold medals in her final year to emerge the most outstanding female swimmer of the Philippine Swimming League.

Adorna, 19, captured four golds, one silver and one bronze and broke three UAAP meet records in her final year as varsity swimmer of the University of the Philippines to emerge unanimous choice for top honors conferred by the PSL, which conducts the country’s longest-running community sports program.

Adorna was also a consistent Most Outstanding Swimmer (MOS) awardee in local and international swimming competitions, the last being in Bangkok in December 2013.

Adorna obtained a slot in the PSL-Philippine team to compete in the 2013 Universiade held in July in Kazan, Russia despite warnings by the UAAP board that participation by any UAAP athlete in the 166-nation Universiade or University Games, the most prestigious multi-event competition after the Summer Olympics, would result in suspension.

Coming home from Russia, she was not allowed to participate in the UAAP, but angry protests by the UP hierarchy under Dr. Alfredo Pascual and the Senate led by Sen. Pia Cayetano and threats of court action by the Philippine Swimming League, forced UAAP host Adamson U to waive the suspension a week before competitions.

The UAAP board became the center of other controversies that led to the non-participation of UP rookie Ana Dominique Bartolome, a transferee from UST, who had to undergo a two-year residency. The rule did not sit well with UST and La Salle swimmers who did not take off the starting block to show their sympathy for Bartolome,as she and the rest started the race.

“Adorna opened the eyes of many swimmers, that swimming is a sport for all. She is a champion and also a role model, a heroine in swimming,” PSL president Susan Papa said.

Sharing top honors was boys category winner McTracy John Alindogan, 12.

Alindogan was Palarong Pambansa gold medalist and a consistent most outstanding swimmer in the PSL Series and twice a most outstanding swimmer in international competitions held in Singapore in August 2013 and Bangkok, Thailand in December 2013.

The Rookie of the Year for Girls goes to seven-year-old Jasmine Micaela Mojdeh, a consistent most outstanding swimmer in her category when she started competing in the 37th leg, and from the 39th to the 51st legs of the PSL series.

Mojdeh also competed in Bangkok where despite her illness, she went out of the hospital to compete along with her teammates in the relay event where they won the gold medal and broke the existing meet record held by Thailand.

Boys Rookie of the Year is Michael Gabriel Lozada who started competing in May 2013 at the age of 6.

“He showed dedication in swimming and was a consistent MOS awardee up to the final year and also did not miss any PSL Leg competitions despite travelling all the way from Aklan,” Papa said.

He won his MOS award in his first international competition in Singapore last August 2013 and later in Bangkok – both in his age category.

The Coach of the Year is Richard Ryan Robles of R3 Aquaspeed Swimming Team for winning six over-all team championship trophies, one first runner-up and one second runner-up. 

Robles’ team also never missed a single PSL leg last year. The team also joined out-of-town competitions like those in Bicol, Palawan, Boracay and Laguna. Robles was a consistent winning coach in international competitions in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

PSL also honored long-time coach Benjamin Luna of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas with a special  award. He is now in his 70’s.

“I was 13 years old when I saw him coaching and up to now, he is still actively helping the swimming community. My hats off to Mang Ben, he deserves to be recognized in  Philippine swimming,” Papa said.