“My breaststroke time exceeded just three seconds; I’m so close to Palaro.”
These were the exact words of Viking Shaira Jo Castro in a previous interview with the Sagradan Jr., as she aspired to qualify for the Palarong Pambansa.
Castro realized her dream last month, together with three other Vikings, securing their places to represent Region III at the Palarong Pambansa after meeting the qualifying time standard (QTS) for their respective events at the Central Luzon Regional Athletics Association (CLRAA) meet held at the New Clark Aquatics Center in Tarlac last April 29 to May 2.
Abrix Cruz will be competing in the 800-meter freestyle for high school boys, category Azula Villanueva in the 50 meters breaststroke for high school girls, and Zaira Tejero in the 100 meters breaststroke for elementary girls, joining Castro who copped bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke and a gold in the 4×50 medley relay, ranking among the top 24 swimmers.
“It wasn’t smooth sailing, especially with my early morning training sessions while balancing my academics, but with the help of my support system, all is possible,” Castro shared.
Castro further credits her inspiration to her brother, a competitive swimmer.
“I started training to be like my kuya because he is my idol. You may know him, Shawn Castro, a former MDSF Viking and a Palarong Pambansa medalist in 2018.”
Beyond Palaro, the Vikings aim to keep pushing themselves while enjoying the sport they love.
Castro hopes her achievement will inspire fellow Sagradans and other athletes to work harder to reach their goals.
“We can achieve impossible heights through hard work. I worked hard every day to improve and reach the qualifying time. I am happy and I hope this joy of mine will inspire others, showing that no matter how tiring and exhausting it is, it will all be worth it in the end,” Castro concluded.
Castro, Cruz, Tejero, and Villanueva are set to compete in the national tournament from July 11 to 15 in Cebu City, going up against swimmers from all 17 regions across the country.
By: Reinlois Felipe