USC, UC swimmers lead Cesafi tourney

SWIMMERS from the University of San Carlos (USC) put up impressive performances in the first day of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) swimming competition at the Cebu Aquatics Center at the Cebu City Sports Center.

USC dominated the tertiary division by hauling 17 gold medals and nine silvers while its secondary team won six gold medals along with four silvers.  The University of Cebu (UC) leads the secondary competition with a 9-7-1 (gold-silver-bronze) tally.

Swimmer and triathlete Loren Dale Echavez led the USC assault in the pool as she won three gold medals in the individual events. She topped the women’s 200-meter freestyle, 800m freestyle and 400m freestyle events.

Her younger sister Ara Denise Echavez also gave USC a boost as she won the gold medals in the 100m and 50m breast stroke events.

USC’s Cynthjune Goden topped the men’s 100m breastsroke and the 200m Individual Medley (IM) while teammate Keith Ocampo added two gold medals by winning the 1,500m  and 400m freestyle events.

Helping USC’s cause were Jebb Cane, who snatched the gold medal in the 200m freestyle event,  and Myles Chi, who won the 200m back stroke. Other winners for USC were  Lister Tungala (100m butterfly), John Beltran (50m breast stroke) and Abigail Saquib (200m back stroke).

USC’s men’s 4x100m medley relays teams in the men’s and women’s division along with the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay team also won the gold medal.

Leading the charge for UC’s secondary swim team were Karen Mae Indaya and Michael Ichiro Kong, who won three gold medals each. Indaya topped the 200m IM, 200 freestyle and the 400m freestyle events. Kong dominated the 200IM, 200m backstroke and the 100m butterfly events.

Also winning golds were Danielle Mae Ballesteros (100m breaststroke) and UC’s 4x100m medley relay and freestyle relay girls teams.

The remaining events will continue today starting at 9 a.m./CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL