Manila, Philippines
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PAI Secretary-General Batangas 1st District Congressman Eric Buhain said the positive response from Filipino-Foreign athletes was overwhelming as it validated the association’s foremost intent to unite the swimming community and pushed for inclusivity in forming a solid National team.
“Surprised, in a very positive way, with this development. We welcome them, arms wide open, and thankful that Filipino-Foreign athletes now strongly desire to join our national pool.
"And now they're coming and willing to be evaluated by PAI. If they're truly good, they will join the national pool. We will no longer be swayed by reports of fast times by scouts and managers, we must see them to believe. The same goes for our homegrown swimmers from all over the Philippines,” said Buhain, a two-time Olympian and Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer.
The National tryouts will be the basis for the selection of members of the Philippine Team that will participate in this year’s World Aquatics World Cup series (25-meter short course), the 46th Southeast Asian Age Group Championships, and next year’s World Aquatics Championships on July 11-15 in Singapore (50-meter-long course).
The World Series comprises competition on Oct. 18-20 (Series 1) in Shanghai, China; Series 2 on Oct. 24-26 in Incheon, South Korea; and Series 3 on Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Singapore. The series culminates with the Championships on Dec. 10-15 in Budapest, Hungary. Likewise, the 46th SEA Age Group is slated on Dec. 6-8 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Paris Olympian Fil-Canadian Kayla Sanchez and Fil-American Jarod Hatch head the lists of foreign-based hopefuls which also includes World Championships veteran and 2019 Manila SEA Games champion Fil-Am Chloe Isleta; multi-title junior internationalist Vietnam-based Fil-Briton Heather White, bronze medalist in the Asian Age-Group championships last February in New Clark City; and Fil-American Teia Salvino, the 2023 Cambodia Southeast Asian Games gold medal winner.
They clashed against the best of homegrown champions led by World Championships veteran and SEA Games gold medalist Xiandi Chua, Jasmine Micaela Mojdeh, Patricia Mae Santor, Hugh Antonio Parto, and veteran internationalists Gerald Jacinto and Jamesrey Ajido, the country’s first-ever Asian junior gold medal winner.
“No exception. Everybody must swim. The presence of our elite swimmers like Kayla (Sanchez) and Jarold (Hatch) would inspire our young contender,” said Buhain.
Buhain stressed that PAI is working its best to prepare the National team for swimming and open water, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming.
Currently, members of the men’s and women’s water polo teams and diving squads are in deep training sessions at the PSC facility since the formation of the national pool early last year, even as the open water swimming tryouts for Visayas and Mindanao athletes were held last June in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
