JULIA Jewels Poblete sparkled with seven gold medals to lead the Iloilo Megakraken Swim Team to the overall title in the recent FINIS National Long Course Championship at the Iloilo Sports Complex Swimming pool in La Paz, Iloilo City.
The eight-year-old tanker swept her events in the girls 7-8 class — 200m Individual Medley (4:01.73), 100m butterfly (2:01.81), 50m backstroke (50.96), 50m fly (55.36), 100m back (1:50.36), 50m breaststroke (58.57), and 100m freestyle (1:37.34) — as she helped her team claim the overall team title with a total of 1,432.5 points.
“We’re very proud not just with our medalists but with all swimmers and their coaches for their enormous effort just to be able to join the competition. I wanted to say kudos, particularly to the three-man Binirayan Tadpoles Swim Club (Princess Maria Galindo, Johnny Quimpang, and coach Patricia Anne Galindo). The recent typhoon ‘Paeng’ washed away the bridge in Antique and it was very hard for their whole swim team to get across,” said FINIS Managing Director Vince Garcia.
“Majority of their teammates gave up and chose not to join the swim meet anymore. But this trio made a headstrong decision to still participate. They had to use a zip line to cross the water to get to the other side just so they can compete this weekend. Hearts made this way are surely bound to be champions. We are so glad to have you in our swim meet. Thank you for gracing our swim event,” added Garcia.
Garcia said he is hoping and praying to get the same energy and excitement from young swimmers in Mindanao as the series shifts to the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex Swimming Pool in Zamboanga City on Nov.12-13.
The series ends with the Luzon Leg on Nov. 26-27 at the New Clark City Aquatic Center in Capas, Tarlac. Top swimmers after the series will clash in a swim-off for slots in the National Championship on Dec. 17-18 also in Clark.
The JBLFMU Dolphin Swim Team settled for runner-up honors with 837.5 points, followed by the Iloilo Tiger Shark Swim Team (612 4), Iloilo Sea Warriors Swim Club (534), Aklan Swimming Club (367 6), Capiz Eaglerays Swimming Club (341), Capiz Turbo Sharks Swim Club (333 8), Sta FE Crocs (150), Buddy Swim Team (135) and Pirates Swim Club (110).
