Albert Amaro II delivered a superb performance and gave the Philippines its first gold in the 47th Southeast Asian Age Group Aquatics Championships at the WCH Arena in Singapore Thursday, June 26.
The 18-year-old Amaro dazzled after tallying a personal best of 25.15 seconds – just a split second ahead of Indonesia’s Jason Donovan (25.16sec) – to rule the 16-18 boys 50m butterfly event.
Singaporean Tedd Chan (25.23) snagged the bronze, while Filipino tankers Alexander Eichler (25.28sec) and Jamesray Ajido (25.53sec) fell short of the podium after finishing fourth and sixth spot, respectively.
It was actually the second medal for the Naga, Albay native who already bagged a bronze in the 100m butterfly where he timed another personal best of 55.72 seconds – behind gold and silver winners Malaysian Li Jie Goh (55.64) and Thai Wongsakorn Patsamarn (55.71).
Also shining in the second day of the competition was Malabon City’s Sophia Garra who plucked the silver in the girls U-13 200mm backstroke after touching the pad in 2 minutes and 24.33 seconds.
Garra, the Laoag’s Palarong Pambansa most bemedalled with seven golds along with fellow NCR swimmer Titus Sia, finished behind Thailand’s Oravee Intaporn (2:20.33) and faster than Singapore’s Yeok Han Ng (2:24.68).
Like Amaro, the 13-year-old Garra got herself a bronze when she registered a record-shattering time of 2:31.37 in the 200m individual medley to finish behind Thai swimmers Oravee Intaporn-Udom (2:26.03) and Pimchanok Chinveeraphan (2:27:50).
With their splendid acts, the Philippines now has one gold, one silver and two bronzes in the meet which features the region’s rising swimming rising stars.
Aside from Amaro, Garra, Eichler, and Ajido, Ava Bautista, Kyla Bulaga, Ryian Belen, Riannah Coleman, FJ Cruz, and Patricia Santor are representing the Nationals under the guidance of coaches Ramil Ilustre and Isagani Corpuz as they aim to add more medals to PH’s haul before the closing on Friday, June 27.
