BORACAY HOSTS SOUTHEAST ASIA’S OPEN WATER SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Filipino swimmers make their mark as Boracay hosts regional championships
By Jun N. Aguirre
Boracay’s familiar waves took on a different rhythm from August 21 to 23 as swimmers from across Southeast Asia plunged into the waters for three days of competition, testing their endurance and skills in open water.
Boracay became the venue of the 4th Southeast Asia Open Water Swimming Championships, bringing together nearly 200 swimmers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The championships were presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and organized by Philippine Aquatics Inc. (PAI) in cooperation with Southeast Asia Aquatics, the Province of Aklan and other government agencies. The competition featured men’s and women’s 3K, 5K and 10K, races, along with festival events for younger swimmers.
Open water swimming is unlike competing in a pool.
There are no lane ropes to guide the athletes and no walls to push off from. Swimmers must contend with currents, wind, waves and navigation, while also dealing with the physical demands of staying in the water for long periods.
Philippine Aquatics Secretary-General Eric Buhain, a former national swimming standout, told the national media that bringing the regional championship to Boracay was also about placing the Philippines alongside other Southeast Asian destinations that have previously hosted the event, including Bali and Pattaya.
“The competition was therefore designed to accomplish two things at once: develop open water swimming in the Philippines and use sports as a vehicle to promote the country’s tourism destinations,” Buhain said.
Filipino swimmers make their mark
One of the early highlights came from Anton Paulo Dominick Della, a 17-year-old Palarong Pambansa standout from San Fernando, La Union.
In his international debut, Della captured silver in the men’s 18-19 age group in the 10K race, clocking 2 hours and 20 seconds. He also narrowly missed the podium in the open division, finishing just five seconds behind the Vietnamese bronze medalist.
The Philippine contingent produced another strong showing when Bella Aaliya Pano led a 1-2-3 Filipino finish in the girls’ 16-17-year-old 3K festival event.
On the final day, Jie Angela Mikaela Talosig, a 20-year-old De La Salle University varsity swimmer, took home bronze in what was her international debut, finishing in 1 hour, 18 minutes and 57 seconds. She said she had entered the competition mainly to gain international experience and was not expecting to finish on the podium. “Honestly, I just wanted to experience competing at the international level so to win a bronze medal for my efforts and in front of a hometown crowd at that is a pleasant surprise,” Talosig said.
Julia Jewels Pobleto won bronze in the girls’ 12-13-year-old 3K race, while Alfonso Joaquin de Mesa came close to another medal, finishing fourth in the boys’ 14-15-year-old class.
Keeping swimmers safe
Safety was a major consideration as athletes competed in open water. Organizers prepared a comprehensive safety plan covering the deployment of kayaks, rubber boats and jet skis, with support from the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police and trained volunteer lifeguards from Philippine Lifesaving.
The competition course was positioned inside a protected cove at Boracay Newcoast, giving organizers a more controlled environment while still providing swimmers with the challenges of open water racing.
PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio described the event as an opportunity to create sports and tourism goodwill ambassadors. “What is important is that we not only provide a vehicle for promoting sports tourism but also expose our local athletes by competing with the best athletes from overseas as we have the hometown support to inspire them to do their best,” Gregorio said.
And if the organizers’ plans materialize, this may not be the last time Southeast Asia’s open water swimmers or athletes from farther afield take on Boracay.
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