Young finswimmers from Leyte lauded for int'l win

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 27 (PNA) -- Young finswimmers from Leyte were commended by the provincial government for winning in an international competition held in Hong Kong.

The provincial board approved a resolution on Thursday commending the victory of eight athletes composed of four boys and four girls from the swimming team of Leyte Sports Academy (LSA).

The team bagged 40 gold medals, eight silver medals and four bronze medals at the Hong Kong Summer Finswimming Competition on Oct. 23, 2016.

The athletes were Rolando Anibe, Jr., Price Lou Augustus Labang, Reyl Malbas, Jaysmith Traveño, Charity Anibe, Tehillah Mag-aso, Jelahlou Mendoza and Julian Princess Aseo.

The athletes are all scholars of the LSA, a sports development program of the province focusing on poor but deserving to be trained as athletes that will represent Leyte and the country in national and international sports competition.

Leyte Vice-Governor Carlo Loreto said provincial government officials are very proud for the achievements of the young athletes.

"This is a singular achievement in international sport competition where athletes that represents the country are from Leyte and we are very proud of them," said Loreto.

LSA administrator Ruben Tamayo was overwhelmed with the recent victory of their team in the international competition, even exceeding their previous performance when they competed last year in a similar event in Taiwan.

Tamayo added that LSA, as the national training pool for finswimming in the Philippines, gives them the privilege to represent the country in all international competition for finswimming.

“Unlike swimming, this sports event is not yet popular in the country, but we are already offering this field of sports because LSA is the national training ground for finswimming in the country. That is why whenever there is an international fin swimming competition abroad, LSA athletes are sent to represent the country,” Tamayo said.

“It means that the training that we offer for finswimming is improving,” Tamayo added.

Finswimming is not yet part of Palarong Pambansa but it is part of international events such as SEA Games and World Games.

The water sports is described as the progression with monofin or with two fins either on the surface or underwater, by means of the swimmers' muscular force only and without use of any mechanism, not even muscle powered.

Aside from finswimming, LSA also offers other athletics such as swimming, powerlifting, boxing, wrestling, taekwondo and wushu scholarships. (PNA)
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