The NOGCC swimming team composed of student-athletes from different schools in Bacolod City won a total of 24 gold medals, 12 silver and 12 bronze while representing the province of Negros Occidental in the just concluded 2023 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association swimming competition in Kalibo, Aklan from April 27-30.
Members of the swimming team that represented their respective divisions were Ricardo Miguel Quilop and Marc Justin Yu for secondary boys; Juliana Dejilla and Maxene Hayley Uy for secondary girls; Anika Kathryn Matiling, Niña Jhoannica Gabo, Elise Madisson Bonda, Mikkha Jarmin and Martina Alessandra Dy for elementary girls; and Enzo Miguel Leyva, Marc Aenon Almacen, Damian Villarante and Lorenzo Mark Raffaele for elementary boys.
Leading the medal haul for the NOGCC swimmers was Anika Kathryn Aguilar Matiling, a Grade 6 student, who swept all her events en route to a perfect 7 gold medals. She won gold in the 200 individual medley, 50 and 100 backstroke, 50 and 100 freestyle and the 4 x 100 and 4×50 medley relay.
Winning 3 individual gold medals was Marc Justin Yu in the 1500, 800, 400 freestyle, silver in the 200 freestyle and 4 x 100 freestyle relay and bronze in the 4 x 50 medley relay.
Maxene Hayley Uy also won multiple individual gold medals in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke and silver in the 200 and 50 backstroke, 4 x 50 and 4 x 100 medley relay.
Julianna Dejilla won the gold medal in the 50 freestyle out-touching her Iloilo rival by a few milliseconds. She also won gold in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay, silver in the 200 individual medley and 4 x 50 freestyle relay and bronze in the 100 freestyle.
Ricardo Miguel Quilop won the gold in the 4 x 100 medley relay, silver in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay and bronze in the 200,400,800 and 1500 freestyle.
Other medalists were Enzo Miguel Leyva, silver in the 400 freestyle and gold in the 4×100 freestyle relay; Niña Jhoannica Gabo, bronze in the 100 butterfly and gold in the 4×50 medley and 4×100 freestyle relay; Marc Aenon Almacen, silver in the 100 butterfly and gold in the 4×50 freestyle relay;
Lorenzo Mark Raffaele, silver in the 100 freestyle and gold in the 4×50 medley and 4×100 freestyle relay; Elise Madisson Bonda, bronze in the 50 breaststroke and gold in the 4×50 medley relay; Martina Alessandra Dy, gold in the 4×50 freestyle and 4×100 medley relay; Mikkha Jarmin, gold in the 4×50 freestyle relay; Damian Villarante, gold in the 4×50 medley relay and bronze in the 4×100 medley relay.
The NOGCC swimming team members helped in securing the overall championship in swimming for Negros Occidental in the secondary boys and girls division and the elementary girls division, while the elementary boys placed 2nd runner up. The NOGCC swim team is based in Bacolod City and trains at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club swimming pool under coaches Robbie Tan, Giselle Tan, and Giella Sanchez.
The coaches also collaborated with coach Aris Andrey of AP Performance in preparation for the meet.*
