Asian Age Group Swimming Championships Career Highlights

Finalist

200m Freestyle 18 & Above

01:55.97

8th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships, THA

10.02.15

Finalist

800m Freestyle 18 & Above

09:04.66

8th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships, THA

10.02.15

Asian Youth Games Career Highlights

Finalist

100m Freestyle

00:53.55

2nd Asian Youth Games, CHN

07.22.13

Finalist

200m Freestyle

01:55.62

2nd Asian Youth Games, CHN

07.20.13

Describe yourself :

Usually calm, but easily annoyed.

What side or character of yours that would most likely surprise others?

Most people are surprised to know that I read the news every morning and evening. I even have a bunch of news apps on my phone just so I know what’s happening around me.

What age did you start swimming? What brought you to the sport of swimming?

Well, when I was younger, I really wanted to learn how to swim because I was afraid of drowning. I was so scared that I didn’t even want to let go of my “salbabeda” even though the pool was shallow enough for me to stand. So, my parents enrolled me in a learn-to-swim program which worked out better than expected because I took a liking to it and started training to swim competitively. Although, I am still a little scared of really deep bodies of water like oceans or seas. Deep pools are fine though. Not scared of them at all. Even the diving pool.

I started my learn-to swim program when I was around 3 years old in Cagayan de Oro City. I took a short break from swimming after the program and started practicing Taekwondo. My mother however, would not allow me to go to the gym to take my promotion trials for the next belt because she feared that I might get hurt since I was really thin back then. I lost interest because of that and started swimming again, except this time, I was training to swim competitively. I joined my first competition, an invitational school meet, later that year when I was around 9 or 10 years old.

During your early years of swimming, have you ever thought that you will reach where you are now today as a swimmer? Why?

No. During that time, I was repeatedly told by my parents and coaches that I should be competing with myself rather than the person on the lane beside me. So all I wanted to do was to keep swimming faster and beat my best times. I did not really pay that much attention to whether I won or not because I was happy knowing that I did my best and broke my times. The medal was always just a bonus.

What do you think are the factors that make you a successful swimmer?

I believe the trait that makes a successful swimmer is their attitude. They have to approach things very differently compared to other swimmers especially when it comes to their routines and behavior in and out of the pool. They must also have a strong will and the drive to keep on going no matter the conditions.

What is your most memorable experience as a swimmer?

Every time I break my PB, even if it’s just by a few milliseconds, because that meant that my hard work has paid off. But, if we’re talking about achievements, then it would be the privilege of being invited and accepted into the national training pool based in Laguna.

Apart from being a Summer Olympian, what is (are) your other goal(s) as a swimmer?

I am not sure if this can be considered a goal but I would very much like to swim against or even just be in the same lanes as Michael Phelps, Alexander Popov, and Ian Thorpe. They are legends in swimming and it would be an honor to be able to swim with them.

Was there ever a time that you thought of quitting swimming? Why?

Yes there was. It was during my time in TRACE College training with the Philippine Center for Excellence in Aquatic Sports (PCEAS). I was tempted to quit whenever we had our “dying” workouts which forced us to the limit both physically and mentally. Those workouts made me rethink why I was swimming but the excitement and joy I felt after successfully finishing the set made me believe that I can do anything. Then the same thing happens again the next day.

Who do you look up to as a swimmer? Why?

I really admire and respect Michael Phelps. He is a living legend. The amount of pain, hard work, and commitment he must have experienced to be able to be that successful is nothing compared to what I have been through. He has nerves of steel and is more than deserving of being called “Superman”.

Any specific routines before and during the meet or before a swim? What are these?

Well, the most important thing I do before a swim is to go to the toilet. Yes, I know it may sound kind of weird but you see, we have to wait quite a while in the call area before our event and we are not allowed to leave the call area once we are inside. So, if you happen to need to go to the toilet while you are there then you’re out of luck because you can’t get out and believe me, trying to hold it in until after your swim won’t make you go faster. You’ll just lose your focus.

Please share some words of wisdom for swimmers who wish to be like you.

Swimmers, you should put a lot of focus on the small things like adding an extra dolphin kick before surfacing or say, not taking a breath before the last stroke during a turn, because, as Coach Pinky once told me, when you add all these small things together, they become big things that will help yourself improve overall. Swimming requires a ton of hard work and lots of commitment, but if you do choose to do it, remember to always follow your dreams. Never give up no matter how hard everything may seem. As Robert Stevenson said “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant”.

Message to your supporters :

Guys, I know it is really hard to determine who is who once we have our caps and goggles on, even I get confused sometimes. My advice is to check what lane we are in the meet program then remember what cap color we are wearing so you won’t be like my mom who famously told the person beside her what lane I was in but then videod the wrong person. Thanks for the support!