PROPPED up by the success of last year’s National Selection Bubble at the New Clark City Aquatic Center in Capas, Tarlac, the Philippine Swimming Inc. staged the National Open early this year at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in Malate, Manila.
Despite the rise of COVID-19 infections in the National Capital Region due to the presence of the highly contagious Omicron variant, PSI president Lani Velasco was elated with the performance of the tankers.
“A lot of them struggled for form in light of the Omicron surge early this year. But there are a few up-and-coming swimmers who made a mark. Most notably, Thanya Dela Cruz bettered the national record she set in the women’s 50m breaststroke last 2021 PSI SNS bubble,” Velasco said.
“She did so by shaving off almost half a second off her previous time. Slowly but surely, we will get back in form as we host more local competitions and as the health restrictions ease up,” she added.
The hardworking swimming chief hopes to send a field that will be no pushovers in this year’s 31st Southeast Asian Games in May in Vietnam.
