Ajido, Mojdeh make mark in Day 2 of national swimming trials

MANILA, Philippines -- Jamesrey Ajido and Micaela Mojdeh sparkled on the second day of the Philippine Aquatics Inc. (PAI) national trials for long course 50m at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in Manila.

Ajido and Mojdeh ruled the boys 14-15 100m butterfly and the girls 16-18 200m breaststroke divisions, respectively, as they strengthened their bid for national team spots. 

Ajido broke the Southeast Asian Age Group qualifying time standard of 57.47 seconds in the boys 14-15 100m butterfly division after clocking in at 56.26 seconds.

He also matched the QTS of 24.64 seconds in the 50m freestyle for a four gold-medal haul in the event.

“Medyo nagulat ako sa performance ko kasi kumpara po kahapon, pakiramdam ko wala ako sa kondisyon today. Siguro po excited ako sa opening day kaya ‘di ko na-break yung QTS sa dalawang event ko,” Ajido said, who won two gold medals on Thursday.

Despite his earlier gold medals in the boys 14-15 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley, he did not break the QTS on the opening day.

Mojdeh, on the other hand, ruled the girls’ 16-18 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:40.27, about 15 milliseconds faster than the QTS of 2:40.42.

“Got a lot of catching up in my training, medyo feeling ko hindi gaanong ready yung katawan ko sa training, but I’m good. It’s a good swim and happy for the results,” Mojdeh said.

Riannah Coleman also dazzled anew in the girls’ 14-15 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:43.55 for another QTS performance (2:45.54).

Paris Olympian Jarod Hatch also shone bright in the boys’ 19-over 50m freestyle with 23.86 seconds.

Gian Santos claimed a second QTS after winning the boys’ 16-18 200 meter breaststroke clocking at 2:18.30.

Enkhmend Enkhmend delivered in the 14-15 class with a time of 2:24.19, while Miranda Renner topped the girls 19-over 50-m free with 26.26 seconds.

Other gold medalist in Day 2 are Behrouz Mohammad Mojdeh in boys 11-12 200m breaststroke (2:42.50); Lucio Cuyong (19-over, 2:23.29); Sophia Rose Garra in the girls 11-13 200m breaststroke (2:51.46); Shairinne Floriano (19-over, 2:43.65), Richard Navo in the boys 11-13 50m freestyle (26.82); Anika Kathryn Matiling in the girls 11-13 50m freestyle