PUERTO PRINCESA – Napanatili nina swimmers Arveen Naeem Taguinota ng Pasig at Sophia Rose Garra ng Malabon ang kanilang winning forms upang maging unang triple gold medalists ng Batang Pinoy National Championships kahapon sa Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex pool.

Makaraang lumangoy ng tig-dalawang ginto sa opening day, idinagdag nina Taguinota at Garra ang kanilang ikatlong mint nang pagharian ang boys at girls 12 to 13-year-old backstroke event sa oras na two minutes at 19.88 seconds at 2:30.00, ayon sa pagkakasunod, sa grassroots meet na inorganisa ng Philippine Sports Commission.

Nagpasikat din sa swimming sina Jaime Uaandor Maniago ng Quezon City, na nangibabaw sa boys 16-17-year-old breastroke sa 1:06.78, binura ang dating marka na 1:07.066 na naitala ni Morie Pabalan ng Pasig sa 2023 Manila edition ng meet na suportado ng Puerto Princesa City government sa pangunguna ni Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

Nahigitan din ni silver medalist Joaquin Taguinod ng Santiago, Isabela ang dating marka (1:07.37) sa age group sports showcase.

“We’d rather have Arveen focus on his races because we are aiming for a sweep of his five individual events and two relays,” sabi ni Pasig swimming program director at two-time Olympian Jessie Khing Lacuna patungkol sa kanyang prized ward.

Isang protege ni Sydney Olympic Games veteran Jenny Guerrero, na nagsisilbi ngayon bilang kanyang personal coach, sinabi ni Garra na determinado siyang maging outstanding swimmer ng kumpetisyon sa kanyang age group makaraang magwagi ng pares ng golds at silvers at isang bronze sa huling Batang Pinoy National na idinaos sa Manila noong nakaraang taon.

“I was not too happy with my last performance in the Batang Pinoy so my aim is to sweep all of my five individual events to fulfill my goal of being the best swimmer in my age group,” anang Grade 6 La Salle-Araneta student.

Sa kalapit na RVM track oval, winalis nina Quezon City’s Gavin Moses Ti at Pasig’s Zara Mae Chua ang boys at girls 14 to 15-year-old box obstacle course.

Si Ti ay nangailangan lamang ng isang takbo para malusutan ang 12 obstacles, at naorasan ng 54.49 seconds.

Pinangunahan naman ni Chua ang 1-2 finish para sa Pasig sa pagbida sa karera sa oras na 1:15.47 habang nagkasya ang kanyang teammate na si Sara Yu Prudente sa runner-up honors (1:23.46).

“I feel proud and very relaxed because I could feel the pressure while I was doing my runs,” sabi ni Ti, nanguna sa Japan OCR 100 National Championships sa Shinagawa, Japan kamakailan na may oras na 27.40 seconds.

“I am very thankful for my coaches in trying to do my best, and of course, to God as well,” ani Chua, pumangalawa sa women’s division ng parehong meet.

Nakopo naman ni Aristen Dormitorio ng Quezon City, nakababatang kapatid ni mountain bike veteran Ariana Dormitorio, ang gold sa girls 12-13 division habang nangibabaw si Nathaniel Dalanao sa boys 12-13 division.