Mojde cops 2 golds in Malaysia swimming tilt

MANILA – Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh bagged two gold medals in the 58th Malaysia Invitational Age Group Swimming Championships Friday at the National Aquatic Center at the Kuala Lumpur Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia.

Mojdeh, a tanker from Behrouz Elite Swimming Team (BEST) Philippines, recovered on the second day of competition after claiming the crown in the girls’ 15-17 400m Individual Medley.

“At first I don’t want to swim the 400 IM since I really never liked this event. It is one of the hardest events in swimming and I wanted to focus on 100 fly because after 400 IM its 100 fly event,” said Mojdeh.

Mojdeh clocked five minutes and 7.42 seconds to beat Cambodia Southeast Asian Games-bound Indonesian swimmers Gusti Ayu Made (5:09.39) and Shakthi Balakrishnan (5:14.86), who settled for silver and bronze, respectively.

“I just listened to Coach Virgie de Luna. He told me that whatever my mind can conceive my body can achieve. So I really focus on the feeling of my body. I don’t want to go so fast in my fly event since I might end up dying on freestyle. So I did my strokes smoothly,” added Mojdeh.

Mojdeh delivered again in the afternoon session when he won the second gold in the 100m butterfly after submitting 1:03.23.

She upset silver medalist Lilly Kartina Beales of Indonesia with a time of 1:03.36 and bronze winner Ayu Made, who clocked 1:04.34.