Niones, Mojdeh rip marks in PSL swim

MANILA, Philippines - Record-breakers Angela Niones and Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh copped five individual gold medals each in the girls’ division of the 54th Philippine Swimming League (PSL) short course swimming meet yesterday at the Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City.

Niones posted new records in winning gold medals in the 9 years 200-meter individual medley (3:14.61), 100m freestyle (1:19.83), 50m backstroke (41.83) and 100m breaststroke (1:48.77). She also dominated the 50m butterfly event.

Sharing the limelight was Mojdeh, a consistent Most Outstanding Swimmer awardee, who had record-breaking feats in the 7 years 200m IM (3:31.27), 50m backstroke (47.37) and 100m breaststroke (1:52.50) then added two more mints in the 50m butterfly (46.00) and 100m freestyle (1:28.55).

Tina Baccay also won five golds – in the girls’ 10 years 200m IM (2:57.02), 50m butterfly (36.31), 100m freestyle (1:12.37), 50m backstroke (37.35) and 100m breaststroke (1:36.92).

“We saw a lot of potential swimmers here. We already have a few names that are qualified to represent our country in international level like in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. It’s a fruitful start and we’re looking forward to see more talents on Sunday (today),” PSL president Susan Papa said.

In the boys’ class, Marc Bryan Dula (6 years), Charles Emmanuel Ticbaen (10 years) and Michael Gabriel Lozada (7 years) pocketed five golds apiece – all in record fashion.

Dula topped the 100m IM (1:47.27), 50m butterfly (46.35), 100m freestyle (1:38.13), 50m backstroke (48.07) and 50m breaststroke (1:02.81); Ticbaen dominated the 200m IM (2:57.07), 50m butterfly (34.67), 100m freestyle (1:11.84), 50m backstroke (40.31) and 100m breaststroke (1:41.00); and Lozada ruled the 200m IM (3:26.38), 50m butterfly (39.88), 100m freestyle (1:28.87), 50m backstroke (42.81) and 100m breaststroke (1:52.50).

Philip Miguel Mendoza likewise broke records in the boys’ 9 years 200m IM (3:08.62), 50m butterfly (37.51), 100m freestyle (1:18.62) and 100m breaststroke (1:44.77), and got another gold in the 50m backstroke.

Erik Judel Rivera smashed records in the boys’ 8 years 50m butterfly (44.56), 100m freestyle (1:26.04) and 50m backstroke (46.37), and additional golds in the boys’ 200m IM and 100m breaststroke.

The other most outstanding swimmers are Althea Golimlim (girls’ 5 under), Janelle Blanch (girls’ 6 years), Jasmine del Moro (girls’ 8 years) and Rafael Lentejas III (boys’ 5 under).

The 11-17 age-group events are scheduled today with veteran tanker Sean Terrence Zamora and Delia Angela Cordero leading the participants in the boys and girls, respectively.

The PSL is the national sports association affiliated with the Federation of School Sports Associations of the Philippines, and holds the longest running grassroots developmental program.