Tankers vow to win 8 SEAG golds anew

MANILA, Philippines - With the gold medal winners in Thailand two years ago back in the fold, the swimming association is confident of duplicating its eight-gold medal haul in next month’s SEA Games in Laos.

Miguel Molina, who won four gold medals and the MVP title in the 2007 SEAG in Thailand, heads the 16-man team, including the three other gold medal winners in Ryan Arabejo, who bagged two, James Wash and Daniel Coakley, who won one each.

Molina, now based in Japan, ruled the 200m IM, 400IM and 200m breaststroke, while Arabejo topped the 200m backstroke and the 200m freestyle, Coakley won the 50m freestyle and Walsh took the 200m butterfly gold.

Molina, Arabejo, Coakley and Walsh also teamed up to rule the men’s 4x100 medley relay that rounded out the Filipino tankers’ total haul.

“The team is a cinch to win at least six gold medals. Our boys and girls are also capable of matching our winning in Thailand and even surpass that,” national swim coach Pinky Brosas said during yesterday’s Scoop sa Kamayan weekly session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura. 

Brosas also said Walsh can translate his silver medal finish in the 100m freestyle into gold.

Two more Fil-foreign swimmers and a talented group of junior tankers complete the 16-athlete list, six of them funded by the Philippine Sports Commission and the rest by the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association.

They include Robert Walsh, younger brother of James Walsh, Fil-British Charles Walker, Jasmine Alkhaldi, Banjo Borja, 17, Jose Gonzalez, 16, and Jessie Lacuna, 15, who will also carry the country’s colors in the Youth Olympic Games.