PAULENE Beatriz Obebe completed another sweep while Nicola Queen Diamante fell short in her final event at the close of the First COPA-SMP (Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc.-Samahang Manlalangoy ng Pilipinas) Christmas Friendship Swimfest over the weekend at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex
Obebe, the pride of Aqua Sprint Swim Club, closed out her four-event campaign with sterling performances in the girls 12-years-old 100m freestyle, clocking one minute and 06.76 seconds to put an exclamation point to her Most Outstanding Swimmer (MOS) award.
“Masayang-masaya po. Hopefully, next year mapababa ko pa ‘yung mga time sa events ko,” said Obebe, who also won the gold medal in the girls 12-years Class A 50m butterfly (31.18), 50m backstroke (34.83) and 50-m freestyle (29.33).
Dubbed as COPA’s “Diamond Girl,” Diamante, of the RSS Dolphins of coach Anthony Reyes, absorbed her first tournament defeat as she settled for second to gold medal winner Maria Felisha of Bulacan Water Dragons in the 11-years old Class A 100m freestyle.
The Grade 7 honor student of Augustinian Abbey School in Las Pinas clocked 1:11.77 behind the 1:08.79 clocking of Celso.
The loss was Diamante’s first since the COPA event returned last August. She was earlier named as the MOS after ruling the 50-meter freestyle (31.66), 50m backstroke (34.43) and 50m butterfly (34.43). Overall, she amassed a total of 24 gold medals.
“Pagbubutihan ko na lang po sa susunod. Kung ano po ‘yung pagkukulang ko sa nakita ni coach, itatama ko po para sa susunod na mga tournaments,” said Diamante.
