Vietnam sweeps mixed relays in SEA Open Water meet

Winners of the mixed relay events in the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/PAI/Pet Salvador

MANILA, Philippines–Vietnam swept the mixed relay events in both age groups as the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships continued Saturday at Boracay Newcoast.

Ngoc Vin Dho, Kha Ni Nguyen, Tu Uyen Le Huynh and Van Dung Cao combined for 1 hour, 15 minutes and 43 seconds to win the 14-18 age group.

Vin Thabao Nguyen, Thi Bac Ngoc Vo, Thi Thuy An Pan and Gu Phuc Tran topped the 20-and-above division in 1:13.20.

Thailand took silver in both categories, clocking 1:16.50 in the 14-18 division and 1:16.45 in the 20-and-above class. Singapore finished third in the younger division in 1:20.33, while Indonesia took bronze in the older category in 1:20.21.

The Philippines finished fourth in both divisions, with most of its swimmers still adjusting to open water competition.

Alexander Chu, Nuche Veronica Ibit, Graziella Sophia Ato and Anton Paulo Dominick Della clocked 1:22.34 in the 14-18 division, the same time posted by the older quartet of Zhyhed Pheonix Pajas, Makayla Bettina Fetalvero, Stacey Arabelle Bee and Rio Stephen Coliyay.

“I tried my best to catch up in the last leg of the relay but the Singaporean swimmer ahead of me was just too far ahead,” Della said of his anchor leg.

“Perhaps if we had more time to train together we could have performed better,” added Della, who won four gold medals at the last Palarong Pambansa.

The Philippines also picked up a gold in the girls’ 16-17 3K festival event, where Bella Aaliya Pano led a 1-2-3 finish in 40:11.49.

Dominique Gabrielle Lepaco took silver in 50:25.27, while Samantha Dainyhel Jamelarin settled for bronze in 50:30.06.

In the men’s 3K festival event, 85-year-old Vernan Certeza of Jaro, Iloilo, was the oldest participant and completed the race in just under 90 minutes.

Philippine Aquatics Inc. secretary general Eric Buhain said the country’s swimmers are still adapting from indoor swimming to open water competition.

“We are sowing seeds for the future with these young swimmers, an investment in open water swimming that will pay off in the long run as we aim to aggressively catch up with the rest of the region,” Buhain said.

“Given time, we aim to be at par if not better than our Southeast Asian neighbors,” he added.

The championships are sanctioned by the Southeast Asian Swimming Federation and organized by Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Aquatics Inc..