Ibalong Aquagliders dominate Legazpi selection tourney

MANILA, Philippines - Elementary and high school swimmers trained by the Ibalong Magayon Aquagliders Swim Club (IMASC) rose to stardom during the Legazpi City Selection Meet held Nov. 23-25 at the Bicol University swimming pool.

The young IMASC swimmers bagged 36 of the 44 individual gold medals in the event organized by the Department of Education Legazpi City Division.

Hannah Sartorio and Daniel Rubio (elementary level) together with Trisha Anne Oliveros, Jea Talavera and Emmanuel Adornado (secondary level)  swept all their five individual events in complete domination by the club formed only last year to provide regular training for upcoming swimmers in the region.

Sartorio, Rubio, Talavera and Oliveros are students of St. Agnes Academy while Adornado is from Divine Word High School.

“We are really proud of our swimmers. With the support of Olympian Susan Papa,  they trained hard to improve their time. Their hard work clearly paid off with their excellent performance in the City Selection Meet,”  said IMASC head coach GM Nebres.

The IMASC regularly trains about 50 young swimmers from various private and public schools in Legazpi City and the province of Albay.

Among those on the IMASC program are  St. Agnes Academy, Aquinas University, Bicol University, Divine Word College, Reyes Computer-Oriented School, Sunshine International School,  Ibalong Central School, Albay Central School, Bigaa Elementary School and Guinobatan Elementary School.

“With the full support of the parents, we expose our young swimmers to various local, national and international competitions, aside from their daily trainings, to further hone their swimming skills and competitive spirit. This is part of their development program in competitive swimming,” club president Arlon Rances said.

The medalists will form the Legazpi City swimming team for the Palarong Bicol slated in Catanduanes early next year.