Lessons from the water: why champions swim

MANILA, Philippines – Aside from ballet, basketball or taekwondo, chances are, your parents enrolled you in swimming lessons.

Some of us may never have competed in the sport, but we would know how to hold our breath under water. We might not be able to swim long distances but at least we can do the doggie paddle. 

But when you meet young students who are champion swimmers, who represent their school and even their region, you can’t help but wonder what you doing when you were their age. 

I met swimmers Michael Ichiro Kong from team Visayas; Suzanne Himor, Franchesca Joves, and Portia Doragos from team NCR during day 1 of the MILO Little Olympics (MLO). The swimming competition was held at the Marikina Sports Complex.

Ichiro was soft-spoken and very humble. Perhaps it was because he was going to compete in a few minutes. He is 15 years old and is studying in the University of Cebu. This is his last year to compete in the MLO as he is about to enter college next school year. “I hope I’ll still be a part of the swimming varsity [in college].” 

I asked him what he loved about swimming and he said, “For me, swimming is my only escape from all the stressful things that surround me. I feel comfortable in swimming.” He started swimming at the age of 8 and competed when he was 9 and won 3 gold medals in his first competition.

He added that he just came from Aklan for another competition where he won 5 gold medals. He wasn’t too sure at first if he had the national MLO in the bag but said, “I think I’m good enough.” MLO was scheduled right after his exams, so he didn’t feel conditioned enough for it, but he was confident that he can give his team points. 

And the results?

He won gold in the 100m butterfly and silver in the 100m backstroke in day 1 of the MLO.

Team NCR: Girls division

Three members from the the all-star team of NCR, girls division and secondary category, chatted with me. Suzanne, a top contender in both the regionals and finals, was in an ecstatic mood. It was right after her last swim, the relay, and they were victorious. 

“My dad is a coach and I had asthma when I was younger. They (my parents) were told that swimming was the best way to reduce asthma so I was enrolled in a swimming class by my parents when I was 3 and a half years old.” 

She said that she was happy when she was in the water despite being pushed by her dad in the pool when she was younger. “Swimming made me work harder and it’s a sport that lets you push your limits even if you train alone.”

Asked if she thinks she’s a good swimmer, she said that she’s sure there are other athletes out there who are better than her. Thinking aloud, she said that  maybe they’re just not joining the same competitions as her.

But this young lady is a champion. This is her 2nd time to compete in MLO and she won in the 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 200m medly and relay competitions. 

Her teammate Portia Doragos is also a very strong swimmer. She has been swimming for 5 years and was also asthmatic as a child. She says that her parents are very supportive and diligently bring her to trainings and competitions. They provide her with the swimming gear she needs and cheer for her when she competes. 

I asked her the same question as Suzanne, if she thinks she’s good at her sport. She replied humbly, “Not yet. Because compared to the time of other swimmers, I think I’m not quite there yet.” Nevertheless, she won 2 gold medals for the 100m breastroke and in the relay.

Franchesca Joves seemed shy at first but you can immediately see that she was strong and one of the top contenders as well. Like Suzanne and Portia, she also had asthma as a child. When she started to win competitions, she decided to continue the sport. Her dad, who is also an athlete, trains her sometimes in the absence of her coach. This is her 2nd time to join MLO and she won gold in 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and relay. She enjoys winning and loves to bring honor to her school.

These athletes have a lot more in store for them and MLO is just the first stage as they reach for their dreams. They have proven that age doesn’t matter and hard work, consistency, passion and perseverance can take you anywhere you wish. – Rappler.com