Koronadal breaks Sarbay swim record

By BEVERLY PAOYON

GLAN, Sarangani (May 16, 2015) – Palarong Pambansa swimmers from Koronadal City set a new record in Asia’s longest open sea swim race Friday (May 15).

The Koronadal City Swim Team of teenagers clocked in 44 minutes earlier than last year’s race time of 3:36:46 hours of Dadiangas Torpedoes.

The Torpedoes had dominated the swim relay for three consecutive years since 2012 but did not join the race this time.

In Sarbay Festival’s opening day race Friday (May 15), the Koronadal boys’ race time of 2:54:35 hours also erased their own 3:53:57 hours set in 2014 where they placed second in the grueling 15-kilometer swim relay called Swim-Across-the-Bay.

DMMA (Davao Merchant Marine Academy) Swim Team 1 ranked second place this time with official record of 2:54:24 followed by Davao Tankers (2:54:36) and Tinoto Submarine (2:54:39), ranking third and fourth place respectively.

DMMA crossed the finish line first, or 11 seconds earlier than Koronadal, but a minor technical violation pulled DMMA down to the second place.

Event organizer Jonathan Duhaylungsod explained the last swimmer must be the one to tap the flaglet at the shore. In DMMA’s case, it was tapped by another swimmer.

Final declaration of winners was officially made after marshals unanimously resolved to declare DMMA the second placer instead of disqualifying it outright.

The Koronadal swimmers had just got home from the recent Palarong Pambansa in Tagum City. It took them only five days to practice in a swimming pool in their city and did not expect to beat nine other groups in the race.

They did not follow any game plan but just enjoyed the sea and “kept swimming.”

Keith Glen Joy Tuya, 15, said they just maneuvered escaping being caught up by strong currents.

“Budlay man maglangoy sa balod pero sadya man gihapon. Kung may current, kusugan lang namo pull sa dalom para makasaka kami sa babaw. Ga-glide lang kami padalom kung gapadalom na ang balod. Tapos kung may balod di lang namo gapakusgan ug langoy kay budlay man kay malumos ka gid sa tubig,” Tuya said.

“Medyo kulbal,” Tuya admitted as they are not used to swimming in open sea where currents seem unpredictable.

Duhaylungsod said the currents and waves seem favorable this time because the wind direction is coming from the north unlike with the south wind which is stronger.

Meanwhile, the all-girl group Polomolok Team A was the last to cross the finish line with an official time of 4:05:05 hours.

“We did our best to conquer Sarangani Bay,” the group proudly yelled.

“We just wanted to enjoy because we’re all girls naman. And the fact that we’re all girls at na-conquer namin yung Sarangani Bay, hindi naman lahat nakaka-conquer ng bay at nakaka-swim. At natapos naman namin though last kami. We’re still fulfilled and happy,” 21 year-old Anjala Rae Jamerlan said.

“What we wanted it to prove as a team is that although we’re all girls, what boys can do we can do as well,” Jamerlan said. Updates powered by SMART. (Beverly Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)