THE Philippine Finswimming Federation Inc. (PFFI) partnered with the Congress of Philippine Aquatics Inc. (COPA) in the preparation of the national team to the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games in May.
COPA president and Batangas 1st District Rep. Eric Buhain signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with PFFI president Maria Tatjana Claudeene Medina during Saturday’s1st COPA-Samahang Manlalangoy sa Pilipinas Christmas Friendship Swimfest at the Teofilo Ildefonso Swimming Pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
COPA officials Chito Rivera and Richard Luna and PFFI national coach Mary Ann Reyes witness the MOA signing ceremony executed before more than 400 participants in the swimfesy.
“This is another milestone in our effort to unite all leaders not only in swimming but in the aquatic sports community,” said Buhain, a two-time swimming Olympian and holder of 15 Southeast Asian Games gold medals.
Medina thanked the COPA for the partnership.
“We’re happy and excited. With Cong. Buhain and COPA’s expertise, we expect good results from our athletes,” Medina said.
Rivera said the COPA will conduct tryouts for finswimming to select the four-men and four-women team to the Cambodia SEA Games.
The last time the Philippines’ bagged finswimming medals in SEA Games was in 2011 in Palembang Danielle Faith Torres captured gold (50 meters) and Franz Baacom Leonard Sabellina, Matthew Rodriguez and Mike Godoy clinched bronze (4x100m men’s relay).
After the MOA signing, several members of the fin training pool play delighted the participants with an exhibition of the discipline.
COPA resident swimmers Nicola Queen Diamante and Paulene Beatrice Obebe, meanwhile, were again named as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Swimmers (MOS) in their respective age groups.
The 11-year-old Diamante, competing out of the RSS Dolphins and a Grade 5 honor student t Augustinian Abbey School in Las Pinas City, dominated the 50-meter freestyle (31.66), 50 backstroke (34.43) and 50 butterfly (34.43).
Obebe, the pride of Aqua Sports Swim Club, clinched gold medals in girls 12 years old class in the 50m fly (31.18), 50 back (34.83) and 50 free (29.33).
In the other results, Kean Sebastian Paragatos won the boys 12 years old Class A 50m back (33.23), Lance Jacon (Class B, 38.55), Emmanuel Suasba (C, 44.28) and Clyde Jose boys 13 years old Class A ( 33.51), Jeff Galve (B, 35.71), Avin Kotapati (C, 42.79).