Pinay swimmers win medals in Winter Junior Olympics

MANILA, Philippines - Two Fil-American teens swam three hours a day, six days a week to train for the Winter Junior Olympics, where they bagged medals for various events for swimming with "intensity," as their mother described it.

"They go to the pool right after school in the afternoon. For the Winter Junior Olympics, they were not tapered (or got rested)," Gennady Umbay told Philstar.com.

The family resides in California, while the events were held in Santa Clarita Aquatics Center at Santa Clarita. Both girls study at the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth.

Umbay recounting how her daughters, 14-year-old Deanne and 13-year-old Gazelle, prepared for the recent tough showdowns at the Youth Olympic games, said that the girls head for the pool after their regular classes in school.

In the swim meet last week, Deanne brought home two gold medals, a silver medal and two bronze medals, while her younger sister, Gazelle, fetched two bronze medals mostly from 200-yard butterfly events.

Deanne, moreover, made the bonus cut to the Winter Junior National event.

"Deanne had many opportunities in winning 1st place but she would always end up 2nd place in these elite meets. When asked why she got 1st place this time, she answered, 'Because I really wanted to win it'," Umbay said.

She gave the credit to the girls' coach, Lauren Hancock, whom Umbay said brought out the toughness and competitiveness in her daughters.

"My husband and I believe that Lauren played a huge part in coaching the mental aspect of this sport to the girls, especially to Deanne," the mother said, explaining how swimming is not only about strength, speed and technique. "Swimming is a mental game."

Gazelle, meanwhile, is keen on improving her strokes and speed, and the recent wins have encouraged her to train harder.

"Gazelle ... is happy to have won 3rd place in 200 yard butterfly.  In her Instagram page, she said: 'Rocked our socks off .. but we don't wear socks cause we are swimmers'," Umbay said.

Next steps

Deanne and Gazelle, currently part of Conejo Simi Swim Club in Simi Valley, are gearing to travel to Knoxville, Tennessee to compete with their new team.

Hancock is also training the girls to compete in several elite swim meets until the end of the sporting season.

Deanne is also looking forward to being coached by Olympic champion and former record holder Matt Biondi this Spring.

Gazelle is also at the top her game, having represented her middle school team last fall under Biondi.