Pinangunahan nina Sun Yat Sen School Kalibo tanker  Kyla Soguilon at manlalangoy ng  Immaculate Heart of Mary College-Parañaque na si Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh ang paghakot ng pitong ginto, dalawang silver, at isang bronze medal sa Philippine Swimming League’s (PSL), sa pagbubukas ng 2016 Indian Ocean All-Star Challenge  nitong Sabado, sa Challenge Stadium sa  Perth, Australia.

Si Soguilon, reigning PSL Female Swimmer of the Year, ay nagdomina sa girls’ 11-12 class 50-meter freestyle sa tiyempong 29.56 segundo upang makamit ang unang gold medal ng bansa sa kompetisyon, habang namayani naman si Mojdeh sa  girls’ 9-10 100m breaststroke sa oras na isang minuto at 31.09 segundo.

Nakihanay naman sa kanila bilang medal winners sina Joy Rodgers ng University of the Philippines (UP), Drew Benett Magbag ng UP Integrated School at Ferdinand Ian Trinidad ng Pedro Guevarra National High School Laguna.

Nanguna si Rodgers sa girls’ 17-over 100m breaststroke (1:18.66), habang nagtala si Magbag ng oras na  1:10.21 para maangkin ang gold medal sa  boys’ 15-16 100m breaststroke.

Goodbye PBA? John Amores, tinanggalan na ng professional license!

Naibahagi naman ni Trinidad ang gold medal sa boys’ 13-14 100m breaststroke (1:18.14).

“It’s a good start for us. We still have more events on the second day and we’re looking forward to continue our winning ways against tall and strong swimmers from different countries,” pahayag ni PSL president Susan Papa.

Ang dalawa pang gold medal ay napanalunan ng boys’ 13-14 4x50m freestyle relay team at ng girls’ 11-12 4x50m freestyle relay team.

Ang mga nagsipagwagi ng silver medal ay sina PSL Male Swimmer of the Year Sean Terence Zamora ng University of Santo Tomas (boys’ 15-16 50m freestyle, 25.85) at Mojdeh (50m freestyle, 32.84) habang nakopo ni  Lucio Cuyong II ang bronze sa boys’ 100m breaststroke ( 1:23.41).

Samantala, nagpapasalamat naman si Papa sa tulong  na ibinibigay sa kanila ng Filipino-Australasian Club, Inc.’s (FACI), gayundin nina David Wotherspoon at Vicki Wotherspoon, Filipino-Australian Club of Perth, Inc.’s (FACPI) Landy at  Brad Matugas, Ferdinand Francis Pisa, Carol Allen, Fr. Con Bagaoisan OSJ at ng  Hertz Australia. - Marivic Awitan