NATIONAL junior record holder Jamesray Ajido and swimming protegee Trixie Ortiguera swept all their nine events in their respective divisions to emerge as Most Outstanding Swimmers (MOS) in the Luzon leg of the FINIS Long Course Swimming Championships held over the weekend at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac.
Ajido, bound for the Asean Age Group Championship from December 17 to 19 in Kuala Lumpur, set new junior records in the boys’ 13-14 class—50 meters (26.52) and 100m butterfly (58.13) and 50m (29.20) and 100m (1:03.48) backstroke.
The 13-year-old newest FINIS Brand Ambassador broke his own national junior record in the 50m (26.95) and 100m (58.82) butterfly and 50m (29.60) and 100m (1:03.28) backstroke.
“My focus every tournament is to break my records,” said Ajido, the pride of Golden Zoomers Swim Club.
FINIS Philippines Managing Director Vince Garcia said Ajido’s triumph is the results of discipline, time management and patience in training.
“We expect him to become the country’s future in swimming,” Garcia said. “When we got him as a Brand Ambassador, he even trained harder. He’s very focused and we will support him 100 percent until he makes the Olympics.”
Ajido also ruled the 50m breaststroke (33.62), 100m (57.82) and 50m (26.23) freestyle, 200m individual medley (2:17.81) and 100m breaststroke (1:13.22).
Ortiguera, 15 and swimming out of the Tarlac Aquatics Swim Club, topped the girls 15-16 class in 100m (1:02.71) and 50m (28.74) freestyle, 100m (1:10.36) and 50m (31.97) backstroke, 50m (39.75) and 100m (1:29.48) breaststroke, 50m (30.71) and 100m (1:12.54) and 200m Individual medley (2:39.71).
Ajido’s teammates, fellow FINIS Ambassadors and national team mainstay Kyla Soguilon and Marcus DeKam also won multiple medals to hoist MOS trophies in their respective age groups.
The pride of Malay in Aklan, the 18-year-old Soguilon grabbed gold in the girls 17-18 100m backstroke (1:12.37), 50m (31.40), 50m (29.18) and 100m (1:12.18) butterfly, 200m individual medley (2:44.01), 50m breast (37.58), and 100m freestyle (1:04.58).
She finished second to Jan Sarmiento of Joey Andaya Swim Team (32.86) with a time of 33.31 and claimed bronze in the 100m breast (1:28.52).
The 17-year-old DeKam, a product of Swim League Philippines, dominated the boys 17-18 50m fly (26.23), 200m individual medley (2:15.47), 50m backstroke (28.48) and 50m freestyle (24.75).
In the 19-over class, Jarrett Dean Henthorne become the first special child to win a medal in FINIS-organized event as the 19-year-old who has a moderate autism with severe mental/intellectual disability won eight silver medals in the 200m individual medley (4:52.98), 100m fly (1:16.43), 50m back (36.01), 100m breast (1:30.15), 50m free (28.88), 50m fly (30.97), 100m back (1:22.61) and 50m breast (39.02).
Garcia said the top swimmers in the Luzon leg will vie in the National Finals on December 17 and 18 also at New Clark City where they will face their counterparts from the Visayas and Mindanao legs.
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