Former Asian Gamer to back RP swimming

MANILA, Philippines –  Former Asian Games veteran Serafin Villarete, who is based in Sta. Maria, California where he is the head coach of a high school swimming team, is throwing his support to local swimmers in hopes of producing competitive swimmers in the Asian and Olympic Games.

Villarete, now in his 50s, trained young boys and girls last week at the Tahanan swimming pool of BF Homes on invitation of the Susan Papa Swimming Academy during his one-month visit to his native land after over 40 years.

During his visit to the new training venue of the SPSA, he gave children pointers on the latest techniques in all swimming strokes – freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.

The Fil-American said he was impressed with the performance of the young swimmers and promised to support the SPSA’s swimming development program and help the Philippine Swimming League bring swimming back to the international limelight.

“I will support their program and do all I can, I want to see swimmers start winning again in the Asian Games,” said Villarete after being informed of the country’s below-par performance in the Asian Games where Filipinos used to win gold medals.

“It is nice to see these veteran swimmers coming back to impart their knowledge to young swimmers,” said Susan Papa, also an Asian Games veteran.

Villarete trained in Sta. Clara, California under coach Don Gambril in preparation for the 1968 Mexico Olympics.”

Villarete, a swimmer of National University during his UAAP days, barely missed the qualifying mark for the 1968 Olympics, but he later returned to Sta. Clara to complete a course in physical education. In Sta. Clara, he met and married his wife, a former American swimmer.