Cebuanos bag 36 golds in Speedo swim meet

The Cebu Blue Marlins (CBM) Swimming Club once gain demonstrated their power in the 2013 Speedo G-League Long Course Swimming Visayas as they carted a total of 36 gold, 13 silver and 14 bronze medals in yesterday’s Leg 3 held at the Lorenzo G. Teves Memorial Aqua Center in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

Three Blue Marlins tankers won four gold medals each to lead the powerhouse cast of head coach Rolando Alvarez in the competition, which was also participated in by the Silliman University Swimming Stallions, Negros Oriental Blue Dolphins Swimming Club, Negros Oriental Golf and Country Club Swimming Team and the Bago City Swimming Team Incorporated.

Leading the Blue Marlins’ gold haul was University of Cebu’s (UC) Shanne Allyne Pareja, who took home five gold medals, schoolmate Trina Caneda, who snagged four gold medals and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu’s Val Andre Chiu.

Pareja won the gold medals in the 400-meter Individual Medley, 800-meter freestyle, 100-meter breaststroke, 50-meter backstroke and 100-meter butterfly events. Caneda ruled the 50-m backstroke, 400-M IM, 800-m freestyle and 100-m breaststroke events.

Chiu dominated the 50-m backstroke, 100-m butterfly, 400-m IM and 100-m breaststroke events.

CBM also ruled the first two legs of this competition, including the maiden leg in Iloilo last Aug. 25 and the Cebu edition recently.

UC’s Michael Ichiro Kong also shone in the competition as he harvested gold in the 50-m backstroke, 100-m butterfly and 400-m IM, while fellow Webmaster Karen Mae Indaya harvested the gilt medals in 400-m IM and 800-m freestyle events.

Another CBM bet who won gold medals was Bright Academy’s Jehaosh Reign Garrido, who topped the 50-m backstroke, 100-m butterfly and 100-m breaststroke events.

Other UC bets, Beth MaMay Arellano and Dannielle Mae Ballesteros also won two gold medals each with Arellano ruling the 50-m backstroke and 100-m butterfly events and Ballesteros lording over the 400-m IM and 100-m breaststroke events. Nina Ignacio also snared two gold medals in the 100-m butterfly and 800-m freestyle events.

UC’s Emma Alexandrite Duroy also contributed a gold in the 100-meter Butterfly event alongside Saint Theresa’s College’s Justie Reign Garrido, who topped the 100-m breaststroke event in the Boy’s division and Tabunok Central School’s Micah Marie dela Cerna, who ruled the 800-m freestyle competition.

The CBM’s 4×50 Freestyle Mixed Relay Team also won a gold for the mighty CBM.