Melencio leads multiple winners in ‘Go Full Speedo’ Swim 2

Manila: Ricielle Maleeka Melencio captured two more gold medals to earn the Most Outstanding Swimmer (MOS) award in the girls' 19-and-over category of the Go Full Speedo Swim Series 2 Championships at Teofilo Yldefonso swimming pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila on Sunday. Melencio, a first-year Management Information Systems student of Ateneo de Manila University, ruled the 200-meter backstroke (2:35.62) and the 1500m freestyle (19:18.62) to make it five gold medals overall. On Saturday, she won the 50m butterfly (31.58), 200m freestyle (2:19.26) and 400m freestyle (4:55.28) events. "Although my times here were slower than my personal best times, I'm still thankful and happy for winning in my events," the 19-year-old Melencio said. Her best times are 31.17 (50m butterfly), 2:30.85 (200m backstroke), 2:15.03 (200m freestyle), 4:46.95 (400m freestyle) and 19:08.10 (1500m freestyle). "As an athlete, what's important is to challenge yourself and give your best effort." Melencio, who bag ged two golds, a silver and two bronzes in Series 1 last month, added. Southeast Asia age-group campaigners Aishel Evangelista, Nicola Queen Diamante, Sophie Rose Garra and Makoto Nakamura also received MOS awards. Evangelista, who won six gold medals in Series 1, dominated the 200m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, and placed second in the 100m backstroke in the boys' 14 years category. Ninth-grader Diamante triumphed in the girls' 14 years' 100m and 200m backstroke, and 50m butterfly events. Garra topped the 200m and 400m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, and 100m breaststroke events in the girls' 12 years category; while Nakamura secured the gold medals in the girls' 11 years division's 100m breaststroke, 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle events. Source: Philippines News Agency