Danila annexes third swim gold

Lizza Danila continued to lord it over her youthful rivals she had wanted to inspire as she ruled the 100-meter backstroke yesterday for her third gold medal in the Bank of Commerce National Tryouts at the Rizal Memorial Sports Center pool.

Back from retirement, the 23-year-old Danila found herself on center stage again after coming up with golden feats in the 100-m free and 200-m back in Tuesday’s opener of the event serving as part of the elimination process in the selection of the national team members for next month’s Southeast Asian Games here.

She clocked 1:06.95 to dominate the event where she won three silver medals in the last three SEAG editions but never a gold medal. She beat Luica Dacanay and Lianne Marquez, who finished at second and third places in 1:07.59 and 1:10.21, respectively.

"That’s my goal, that is, to win the country at least one gold medal in the SEAG," said the Alabang Gators’ Danila, who retired last June to concentrate on her studies but decided to return to the sport for one more crack at a SEA Games gold.

But that could remain a dream as Danila will have Thai Solathorn Volathomron as her chief rival in the SEA Games swimming competition slated Nov. 29-Dec. 4 at the TRACE swimming pool in Los Banos, Laguna.

Volathomron won both the gold medals in the 100-m and 200-m backstroke in the last three SEAG — 1999 Brunei, 2001 Kuala Lumpur and 2003 Hanoi — where Danila finished second.

"I’ve heard she (Volathomron) will be returning, so let’s see," said Danila.

Her time, however, was two seconds slower than her best she registered in an invitational tournament in Hong Kong four years ago which netted her a gold medal.

Danila is also set to compete in the 200-m and 50-m freestyle and hopes to be included in the relay team of the national squad.

"Hopefully, I could make the relay team because I really want to help," she said.

Other Day 3 winners were Danila’s younger brother Michaelmars (100-m backstroke), 17-year-old Ryan Arabejo (400-m freestyle), Marichi Gandionco (800-m freestyle), and Luica Dacanay (100-m butterfly).