NICOLE Diamante and Pauline Obebe captured the Most Outstanding Swimmers (MOS) citations after taking home four gold medals apiece at the close of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (COPA) Reunion Challenge National Finals at the Teofilo Yldefonso swimming pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) over the weekend.
Already ahead of the pack with three gold medals each, the 11-year-old Ms. Diamante of RSS Dolphins Swim Team ruled the girls’ individual medley in time of 3:09.99 while Aquanights swim club’s Ms. Obebe won the same event in the girls’ 12-year-old class by clocking 2:51.27 for a strong finishing kick.
Mmess. Diamante and Obebe also stamped their class in the three-leg Reunion Series, setting the stage to become the most bemedaled tankers in the national finale presented by the Manlalangoy ng Pilipinas and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) under Chairman Noli Eala, Speedo and Milo
“We’re very thankful to all swimmers and to all club’s managers who have joined our tournament. We assured everyone, even non-COPA teams can easily play the coming COPA tournament next month,” said COPA Secretary General and tournament director Chito Rivera, who was joined by former national coach Richard Luna in the awarding ceremony.
Both Mmess. Diamante and Obebe will try to carry on the momentum to Vigan, Ilocos Sur as members of the stacked National Capital Region swim team for the much-awaited return of Batang Pinoy national finals on Dec. 17-22.
Meanwhile, other COPA winners in the four-today swim joust were Danna Santiago (girls Class C 200M), Kisses Libat (girls 11 Class B 100m back), Victoria Vitog and Jhoey Gallaro in 14-year Class B, and Xian Espinas and Anjolie Novillas in Class C. — John Bryan Ulanday