Southeast Asian Games campaigner Graziella Sophia Ato and Rio Stephen Coliyat stamped their class by winning two gold medals each in the Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (PAI) National Open Water Swimming Tryouts held at Boracay New Coast in Malay, Aklan.
Their stellar performances earned them berths on the Philippine team that will compete in the 4th Southeast Asian Open Water Swimming Championships slated for August 21-23 at the same venue.
Ato, a 16-year-old swimmer from Raois, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, dominated the girls’ division by sweeping both the 16-17 age group 5-kilometer race and the under-18 10-kilometer event.
Representing the One Ilocos Sur Team under Olympian Ryan Arabejo, Ato topped the demanding 10-kilometer race in 2:24:56, finishing ahead of Stacey Arabelle Bee of Bacolod, who clocked 2:27:59, and Jeda Lorrine Cruz of Ilustre East, who registered 2:35:27.513.
She then completed her golden double in the 5-kilometer event, timing 1:09:41.835 to narrowly beat Bee (1:09:49.944) and hometown swimmer Nuche Veronica Ibit (1:12:06.670).
Coliyat, a 16-year-old Batangas native and Batang Pinoy standout, likewise completed a sweep in the boys’ division. He ruled the under-18 10-kilometer race with a time of 2:16:15.000, edging Jeanne Dominic Bongotan of Baguio (2:17:07.827) and Zyrhed Pajas of One Ilocos (2:22:57.508).
The young tanker capped his impressive campaign by winning the boys’ 15-17 5-kilometer race in 1:03:41.303, pulling away in the closing stretch to fend off Pajas (1:03:52.895) and Giro Don Rafael Gito of La Salle (1:04:21.967).
