THE final day of competitions in the 10th Silliman Founders Day Age Group Swimming Festival turned out to the be the defining moment for the Cebu Blue Marlins Swim Team as it banked on two of its best swimmers, Paula Abigail Vega and Anthony Linn Navarro to claim the overall championship yesterday at the Shaw Memorial swimming pool.
Vega and Navarro made a mad rush on the final day and were virtually responsible in overhauling the team from third place
to the top of the podium as they won eight of the team’s 11 gold medals yesterday.
CBM scored a total of 1,244 points from the 21 gold, 35 silver and 40 bronze medals to bash home team the Silliman Red Snappers, who only had 1,201 points. Negros Oriental came in at third place with 1,077, while Zamboanga was at fourth place with 1,071.
Vega, the University of Cebu stalwart who won four gold medals the other day, wrapped up her heroics with five more gold medals, a silver and bronze medal, to take credit of most of Cebu’s gold medal haul.
She won in the 100m fly, 200m free, 200m back, 400m free and 100, fly in the 15-17 age division.
Navarro of Cebu Eastern College meanwhile, dominated the boys 9-10 division, topping the 50 m free, 50m back and the 200m free in the last day.
Because of their impressive performances, the two were named the Most Outstanding swimmers in the competition. This is Navarro’s second straight honor after having been named the I am Extreme swimmer in the Philippine Olympic Festival.
Another UC swimmer, Beverly Vaslig, made her contribution to the team after winning the 200 fly and 200 IM events of her age group, while Noel Cañeda, who was up against a very strong swimmer from Zamboanga in his division, salvaged one gold and six silver medals as he kept tailing Zamboanga’s Cristian Jude Subibi for the gold.
The Silliman meet is the third competition that CBM aced this year, following the Philippine Olympics Festival last month and the Novice Age Group swimfest last June.
Given the right financial funding, Alvarez said he could send his team to more competitions. Their participation in Silliman was supported by sportsman Jonathan Guardo.
“There are two more competitions that we are preparing for, which will be in Negros Oriental and Iloilo in the coming months.
If there are more, the better,” said Alvarez. (MCB)
