By ADRIAN STEWART CO
After capturing a silver medal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Negrense swimmer Alexi Cabayaran hopes to win a gold in her next participation in the BiFin event of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).
According to the Negros Occidental’s Silay City-native swimmer, she was surprised and delighted to have captured a silver medal in the women’s 200-meter BiFin breaststroke event at the biennial games.
“Sinunod ko lang po ‘yung payo ng coach ko sa swimming club namin na mag-try ako sa BiFin. Nasorpresa po ako ng mapasama ako sa team,” the Trinity Christian School standout Cabayaran said.
“During training, sabi ko sa sarili ko pagbubutihan ko para sa parents ko, maka-bronze lang ako masaya na ako. Kaya nang manalo ako ng silver, naiyak po ako sa tuwa,” she added.
The 15-year-old Cabayaran is one of a hundred young swimmers who participated in the Visayas tryouts organized by the Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (COPA) last February in Bacolod City.
Cabayaran captured the SEA Games silver in the women’s 200-m BiFin breaststroke after clocking one minute and 56.49 seconds behind gold medal winner Cambodian Muyni Kaing (1:51.69).
“Mas gagalingan ko po sa training para sa mga susunod na international tournament maka-medalya ako uli. Sa susunod na SEA Games gold medal po ang tatargetin ko,” Cabayaran said.
For his part, COPA President Eric Buhain said that the recent success of Cabayaran proved it deserves full support from both the private and public sectors to further boost its development program, particularly at the grassroots level.
“Itong pagkapanalo ni Alexi ng silver medal ay malaking bagay sa sports. Hopefully, ma-encourage niya ang iba pa na subukan ang BiFin swimming,” Buhain, a two-time swimming Olympian, said.
“Like classical, maraming medals [are] at stake dito. Isipin natin sa Cambodia, 27 ‘yung events, eh kung nakapaghanda na tayo ng matagal, mas marami tayong naipadalang athletes, baka mas maraming medalya tayong naiuwi,” he added.
Aside from Cabayaran, other members of the Philippine BiFin team are Renz Santos, Janine de La Paz, Raymund Paloma, Raina Leyran, Kristoff David, Ishaelle Villa, and Troy Castor./ASC, WDJ