THE Amoguis sisters, Lora Micah and Liaa Margarette, led Davao City-based Holiday Gym Swimming Club's gold medal harvest in the Philippine Swimming, Inc. Grand Prix Mindanao leg that concluded Sunday, November 4, at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City.
HGSC, coached by Haroon Cali, collected a total of 49 golds, 25 silvers and 11 bronzes with Abba's Orchard School 12-year-old seventh-grader Lora Micah sweeping eight golds in girls 11-13 100-meter freestyle, 50m butterfly, 200m backstroke, 50m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle events.
Liaa Margarette, 11, added six golds in girls 11-13 800m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 100m breastroke, 400m IM and 100m butterfly and two silvers (200m IM and 200m breastroke).
Coach Cali said that the 15-member team, which was composed of veterans and newbies alike, underwent rigid training.
“Grabe sad ang training before the competition, nag DCAA Meet two weeks ago grabe ang preparation namo ato lisod man gud makasulod kay uban sa among mga kusog sa elementary nag high school na (Our training was really tough with the DCAA Meet two weeks ago. It was difficult to get through since most of our strong elementary swimmers are already in high school),” he said.
The team used to train six times a week for two hours a day. There were a few times that they trained twice in a day.
He praised his swimmers for giving their best and beating their personal records in the two-day swimfest that serves as qualifying for the PSI Grand Prix National on December 7 to 9 in Manila.
Other HGSC gold winners were Rissa Angelian Sahagun (girls 11-13 200m breaststroke, 50m breaststroke), Erika Lois Suelan (girls 14-15 200m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m backstroke, 50m breaststroke), Raphael Anthony Laolao (boys 9-10 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke, boys 9-10 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle ), Alexi Jeane Laolao (girls 7-8 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 50m backstroke, girls 7 -8 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke).
Also, Ivo Nikolai Enot (boys 11-13 100m backstroke, 200m IM, 100m butterfly, 50m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle), Ray Martin Yarra (boys 14-15 100m butterfly), Keane Alpiz (boys 9-10 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke, 50m breaststroke), Philip Adrian Sahagun (boys 14-15 400m IM, 200m backstroke), Rizbon Martin Yarra (boys 11-13 200m butterfly, 1,500m freestyle) and Ray Martin Yarra (boys 14-15 200m butterfly).
The Ateneo Blue Knights Swim Club (24 golds, 15 silvers and 26 bronzes), Zamboanga City Swim Team (16-31-29), Ayala Harpoons Swim Club (14-7-4), Iligan Aquaholics Swim Team (12-14-11), Coastland Davao Swim Team (8-9-8), Barracudas Swim Team (6-8-1), Jerry Aquatics Swim Team (6-6-11), Davao Red Sea Lions (3-5-6) and the Gliders Swim Team (1-7-7) also participated in the tournament.