Young tankers show promise for Universiade

MANILA, Philippines - Promising tankers Aubrey Tom, Michael Lozada, Kyla Soguilon and Martin Jacob Pupos smashed records in their respective age groups on the opening day of the 70th Philippine Swimming League Series dubbed as the 2014 Sen. Nikki Coseteng Swimming Championships at athe Diliman Preparatory School.

Tom topped the girls’ 7 years 50-meter butterfly by submitting 42.81 seconds and surpassing the 42.84 old mark of Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh while Soguilon registered 37.03 seconds in the girls 9 years 50m backstroke to erase her previous record of 38.03 seconds.

Sharing the spotlight was Lozada who checked in at 41.40 seconds in the boys’ 8 years 50m backstroke, beating the 44.43-secondS of Lance Cruz while Pupos dominated the boys’ 200m Individual Medley in 2:18.65, better than the 2:19.34 old record of Gian Berino.

“We are conducting tryouts for Universiade one and a half years ahead of time to prepare the swimmers. Every qualified swimmer earns the right to participate on her/his own. They are chosen fairly and squarely. No politics. No favoritism. The process is open to all. This is the integrity of the PSL,” said former Sen. Nikki Coseteng.

Also winning gold medals were Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh (girls’ 8), Inaki Emil Lorbes (boys’ 13), Daryl Concepcion (boys’ 12), Paul Christian Cusing (boys’ 14) and Angelica Medrano (girls’ 14).