Four lead race for PSL honors

MANILA, Philippines - Outstanding tankers Kyla Soguilon, Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh, Sean Terence Zamora and Martin Jacob Pupos led the candidates for the 2014 Philippine Swimming League (PSL) Swimmer of the Year award after their impressive campaigns in local and international competitions.

Soguilon and Mojdeh, both winners of gold medals in South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand, are this year’s top candidates for the Girls’ Swimmer of the Year Award.

The other nominees are Denjylie Cordero, Charize Esmero, Jesreel Francisco, Aubrey Tom, Mary Rose Occeno, Bela Magtibay, Chesca Joves and Angelica Mae Medrano.

Zamora and Pupos, on the other hand, spearheaded the country’s 21-gold medal haul in the 2014 Australia Swimming Championship-All Stars Challenge in Perth as well as tournaments in Hong Kong and Thailand.

Joining them in the Boys’ Swimmer of the Year award shortlist are Mico Abina, Daryl Concepcion and Michael Lozada.

“This is the end result of the whole year program where we choose the top athletes and coaches who consistently join and perform well. The criteria were based on performance (30 percent), character (30 percent), attendance (20 percent) and popularity (20 percent),” said PSL president Susan Papa.

The Rookie of the Year candidates are Aidepp De Luna and Aalia Espejo (girls) and Lorenzo Malapitan, Gregg Marasigan, Rafael Lentejas III, Joey Del Rosario, Carlos Arenas, Ythnmthw Orellana, Ian Trinidad and Pupos (boys) while the Most Improved Swimmer nominees are Jeffrey Hirao, Inaki Emil Lorbes, Del Rosario, Concepcion and Arenas (boys), and Tom and Espejo (girls).

Nominated for the Coaches of the Year award are Alex Papa, Edwin Valdez, Virgilio De Luna, Ryan Robles, Manuel De Leon, Joey Andaya and Fernando Yumul.

For her part, former Senator Nikki Coseteng said “we hope this year that we truly open the eyes of many that they can’t be deprived of their rights to grow and fulfill their fullest potential. Children can’t be discriminated and go unheard. This is so wrong.”

“We want to protect the rights of this young swimmers to be healthy, to be treated fairly,” she added.

Meanwhile, Zamora and Soguilon set new records in the 71st PSL Leg Series dubbed as Pamaskong Handog on Saturday at the Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City.

Zamora topped the boys’ 14 years 200m Individual Medley in 2:17.34 to break the 2:26.12 mark of James Hernandez while Soguilon ruled the girls’ 10 years 100m IM in 1:22.02, beating the 1:22.06 mark of Chloe Fabic.

The other gold medalists were Mojdeh, Pupos, Fabic, Concepcion, Trinidad, Marc Bryan Dula, Kobe Soguilon, John Gabriel Bucad, Carl Bormate, Sean Ortega, Sean Manicad, Herra Kim, Cheska Sarmiento, Davidica Salaya, Chloe Castro, Grant Cabral, Alfred Conda, Lorenz Flores, Michael Lirio, Andre Cheng, Charize Esmero, Terese Mendoza, Stephen Guzman, Juliana Cabrera, Andrew Tejada, Alyssa Alano, Isabel Baclig, Uzzel Arpon, Alea Tence, Faye Golimlim, Sinead Famanilla, Lance Roldan, Kyle Chan, Victor Perez, Shawn Telebrico, Miguel Ramos, Mae Rodgers, Dana Parco, Rhea Llantino and Christine Llorente.

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