By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — Not only four, but 12 Negrense age-group swimmers are competing in the 2014 Royal Bangkok Meet on Nov. 29 to 30 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Nine of them are from the Panaad Swimming Team while three are from Southland College in Kabankalan City.
They were selected by the Philippine Swimming League headed by former national swimmer Susan Papa after a series of qualifying swimming competitions.
Danica Mikaela Alba, Lance Jiro Tacsagon, Jason Adrian Mirabueno, and Jerald Lawrence Rubin were enlisted into the competition after registering impressive performances in the Philippine Swim League 61st Series held at John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University on July 5 to 6 in Iloilo City.
Set to join them are Jose Benedict Palafox; Riandrea Chico; Kyle Andrew Lemery; Aisha Cherub and Jared Ormeo-all of Panaad Swimming Team; and Christian Jaboneta and Ezekiel and Ezra Marie Cagape of Southland College.
Alba is a 10-year-old Grade 5 pupil of St. Benilde School in Bacolod City.
She won five silver medals in the Iloilo meet after competing in the girls’ 100m individual medley, 50m backstroke, 50m and 100m freestyle, and 50m butterfly.
Tacsagon, 10, from Educational Training Center and School I, finished with silver in boys’ 50m and 100m freestyle, and bronze in 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke.
The 15-year-old Mirabueno, a Grade 9 pupil from La Consolacion College–Integrated School here, brought home silver from high school boys’ 100m freestyle and a bronze from 50m backstroke.
His schoolmate, Rubin, settled for third place in 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly.
Alba, Rubin and Mirabueno are also into triathlon and have competed in various triathlon events in Negros Occidental and Cebu.
The National University Sports Association for Colleges and Universities by the Federation of School Sports Associations of the Philippines and the Federation International Sports University are supporting their participation./PN
