(UPDATE) BANNERED by Mojdeh siblings Madi, Mikhael Jasper and Micaela Jasmine, the Behrouz Elite Swimming Team (BEST) made huge splash in the opening day of the 2024 PAI National Age Group Championships, winning 12 gold, nine silver and two bronze medals at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in Malate, Manila.
Madi, an Immaculate Heart of Mary College-Parañaque student, shone the brightest with four golds and one silver in Class A boys' 13-year division.
Madi earned his first gold by topping the 400-meter (m) individual medley event with a time of five minutes and 12 seconds before ruling the 100-m breaststroke event in 1:16.49.
He also secured two more mints in 200-m backstroke (2:34.11) and 100-m butterfly (1:05.41), and a runner-up finish in 200-m freestyle (2:20.10).
Not to be outdone was Mikhael Jasper — a Most Outstanding Swimmer awardee in Thailand swimming meet held last February — who earned four gold medals in Class A boys' 9-year category.
Mikhael Jasper ropped the 200-m freestyle (2:45.76), 100-m butterfly (1:34.70), 50-m backstroke (39.94) and 100-m breaststroke (1:51.00) of the event hosted by the Philippine Aquatics Inc.
On the other hand, World Junior Championships veteran and Philippine national junior record holder Micaela Jasmine made her presence felt by claiming one gold and a couple of silvers in Class A girls' 17-over event.
Micaela Jasmine dominated the 100-m breaststroke in 1:16.62 then placed second in 100-m butterfly and 200-m backstroke.
The 18-year-old Filipino Iranian beauty is coming off a two-bronze medal finish in the 13th Asean Schools Games held in Da Nang, Vietnam, recently.
Kristian Yugo Cabana added two gold medals (200-m backstroke and 100-m butterfly) and one bronze (200-m freestyle) in Class A boys' 14-year, while Annika Quinto chipped in one gold (200-m backstroke Class B), one silver (200-m freestyle Class B) and one bronze (100-m butterfly Class A) in girls' 13-year event.
The other medalists are Elisa De Kam with three silvers (200-m backstroke, 100-m breaststroke and 200-m freestyle) in girls' 13-year; Clara Maligat with one silver (100-m butterfly) in girls' 13-year; and Gabriel Dimandal with one silver (100-m breaststroke) in boys' 15-year.
The BEST coaching staff is composed of head coach Jeremiah Paez, assistant coach Emman Lafuente, consultant Sherwin Santiago, and strength and conditioning coach Jerricson Llanos.
"The Philippine Aquatics National Age Group Championships served as a valuable preseason tune-up for Palarong Pambansa and the National Tryouts in August," said BEST team manager Joan Mojdeh.
"We are happy to see again these swimmers come together to compete in Rizal Memorial Pool. The swimmers impressed us with personal bests and podium finishes. I would like to thank and congratulate all participants, coaches and PAI," she added.
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