Just a few days ago, we created a list of Chinoy female swimmers dominating the waters. Now, it’s time to give the spotlight to some outstanding male swimmers. Creating waves and bagging medals, these athletes continuously prove that they have what it takes to bring honor to their respective schools and even to the country. So without further ado, here are 4 exceptional Chinoy male swimmers in UAAP.
1) Benzi Yang of De La Salle University
The name Joshua “Benzi” Yang might sound familiar to most of you as he joined the Mr. Chinatown competition last year. However, he doesn’t only grace the stage with his presence. He also dominates the pool from one competition to another.
Yang has been competing in the UAAP ever since high school. Before he committed to the rival school for college, he was part of the Ateneo de Manila High School Swim Team that made history by winning an 11-peat. Through his 4 years with the eagles, he has gained a lot of medals and even broke some records. Afterwhich, he decided to take his talents to Taft. He said, “being able to have the chance to represent both prestigious universities, I believe, is a once in a lifetime chance worth grabbing.”
After missing out for 2 seasons though, this DLSU Team Captain promises a show in the next UAAP season as he said “I hope to be able to come back stronger, faster and wiser with the lessons I’ve learned along the way. [As for] my team, I have never lost faith in each and every member. All I can say is, it’s gonna be quite a show for this coming UAAP Season 83.”
2) Ianiko Limfilipino of Ateneo de Manila University
The name Ianiko Limfilipino is no stranger to the world of swimming. Whether it’s a national or an international competition, NCAA or UAAP, this athlete has been continuously bagging awards from here and there.
Limfilipino has probably done it all; from representing the country, to the National Capital Region, and now Ateneo. Just last season, he nabbed a handful of medals in the UAAP. With his strong determination, he truly helped the team win its 6th straight championship for the Men’s Division. However, before all of these happened, he recounted “my parents just made me swim when I was a kid and eventually, I became good at it and also learned to love it.”
Thus, he advises all aspiring UAAP swimmers to “just keep training hard [for] nothing great comes to those who don’t work hard for it.” When asked what else we can expect from him and his outstanding team, he said “expect [us to] give our best and hopefully win the 7 peat championship.”
3) Sherwyn Tan of University of Santo Tomas
Another swimmer from the NCAA that is making his way to the UAAP is UST Tigershark, Francis Sherwyn Tan. Ecstatic for his first playing year next season, this athlete is definitely someone to watch out for.
Photo and Editing: Alonzo Magadia, Tisha Buico, and Paolo Francisco
Tan has won numerous awards in various competitions. Among his accomplishments is a Most Outstanding Swimmer title in the 167th Philippine Swimming League (PSL) National Series–PSL Christmas Cracker 2019. His whole swimming career started, however, when he was still a kid. He narrated, “my grandmother introduced me to swimming for leisure. But as time passed by, I started to love the sport. It not only changed me physically but also changed my perspective in life.”
Given our current situation, suiting up for his first UAAP stint would be difficult. However, he said “we are all at home training hard. So, expect us to clash our claws with our rivals, and give out our best roar [nonetheless].”
4) Keane Ting of University of the Philippines
Last but not definitely not the least is fighting maroon, Keane Ting. Entering his second playing year with much more grit and determination, this swimmer would surely dominate the competition next season.
Making a mark since his days in Palarong Pambansa and in different international competitions, Ting truly represents honor and excellence even before he entered UP. Being one of the top contenders for the Rookie of the Year title last season, this athlete proves that he has what it takes to be in this playing field. When asked why he chose swimming as a sport, however, he answered “it was mostly because my older brother and sister were already varsity swimmers when I was in pre-school so my mom decided to get me into swimming even though I wasn’t really interested in taking it seriously or becoming competitive. But what I mostly remember is I told my mom I wanted to swim in a sports club we used to be members in because the weather was so hot. My mom decided to put me in the swim program the next day.”
After losing the Rookie of the Year title by one point last season, he said “it really bothered me during the whole of the second semester up until this point. But now I’m getting more determined to redeem myself next season. Even though I performed well last season, I believe that I still have a lot more to improve on. The team also has a lot to improve on. Every year our team grows and tries to improve just as much as every other team. We become more and more determined to give our best performance and of course win as many medals as possible.”
With countless victories and undying courage, these swimmers truly show that Chinoys have what it takes to conquer the fast lanes.
