Swimming icon named SEAG best male athlete

NAKHON RATCHASIMA – Miguel Molina became the Philippines’ biggest saving grace in a campaign that went in shambles here after the US-trained swimmer was named the Best Male Athlete at the close of the 24th Southeast Asian Games last night.

Organizers awarded Molina 330,000 baht (about  P446,000) prize for the feat.

Molina, the 23-year-old swimming scholar at University of California-Berkeley, was the first Filipino athlete to gain SEAG MVP honors since Eric Buhain, now the Games and Amusements Board chairman, won the same award in Manila in 1991. Buhain garnered six gold medals then.

The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Filipino bet emerged as the best of the bests on the strength of his awesome harvest of four gold and one bronze harvest.

Natthanan Junkrajang matched Molina’s four-gold exploits in women’s swimming, and the Thai shared top individual honors with the Filipino, winning the Best Female Athlete honors.

Molina beat Thais Ratchawat Keawpanya (gymnastics), Watcharakorn Suasuebpunm (dance sport), Boonthung Srisung (athletics), Phaithoon Phonbun (billiards), Singaporean Gao Ning (table tennis) and Indonesian (athletics) for the Best Male Athlete award.

Junkrajang prevailed over Singapore’s Tao Li (swimming), Vietnam’s Vu Thi Huong (athletics) and compatriots M.L. Warapa Jumbala (dance sport), Wassana Winatho (athletics), Phuttaraksa (rowing) and Bussayamas Pheangkathok (rowing) in the distaff side.

Molina, however, couldn’t personally accept the award during the ceremonies since he has flown home with the swimming team three days ago.

He sparkled with golden performances in three days in the main stadium pool, reigning supreme in the 200-m and 400-m individual medleys, 200-m breaststroke and 4x100 medley relay.

His training in Japan, China and US has made him a stronger and better swimmer.

Molina won only two golds in Vietnam in 2003 and three golds in 2005 in Manila.

His MVP achievement could hopefully inspire the swimmer to strive harder for a good showing in his second Olympic stint in Beijing next year.