By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Coraline Montalbo delivered a standout performance for the country by taking home three bronze medals in the 2026 Chinese Taipei Age Groups Finswimming Competition in Taipei, Taiwan over the weekend.

The 14-year-old Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts product captured her bronze medals in the 4×100-meter SB Relay, 200-m Bi fins and 50-m events.

Montalbo’s feat came just weeks after winning two gold medals in the swimming competition of Negros Island Region Athletic Association Meet 2026 held in Bacolod City.

In the regional meet, Montalbo clinched her first struck gold in the girls’ secondary 200-m butterfly, clocking 2:39.56, earning her a slot in the upcoming Palarong Pambansa.

Montalbo then played a key role in Bacolod’s victory in the secondary girls’ 4×100-m medley relay.

Teaming up with Savannah Secuelan, Rhianne Gonzales and Anika Kathryn Matiling, the quartet secured the gold medal with a time of 4:58.33.

Montalbo has been steadily building her reputation as one of Bacolod’s promising young swimmers with consistent podium finishes in major competitions.

Her medal performances came after she recently was included in the national training pool under the supervision of the Philippine Finswimming Federation Inc.

Montalbo, a many-time gold medal winner while representing Tay Tung in various competitions, is now regularly training in Metro Manila as part of the pool./ASC, WDJ