MATAPOS ang Paris Olympics, SEA Games naman para kay Filipina-Canadian Kayla Sanchez.

Nakamit ni Sanchez ang qualifying time standard sa anim na events upang makuha ang ticket para sa darating na Southeast Asia Games sa December 9-20 sa Thailand.

Matatandaan na nag-rehistro ng qualifying marks si Sanchez sa lahat ng anim na events na kanyang sinalihan na women’s 200m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke at 50m freestyle sa ginanap ng national tryouts ng Philippine Aquatics, Inc. nitong weekend sa Teofilo Yldefonso swimming pool aa Rizal Memorial Sports Complex sa Manila.

Isang taon nang mula noong lumangoy sa Paris Olympics para sa Philippine Swimming Team, excited na si Sanchez na katawanin ang bansa sa SEA Games na isa sa pinakamahalagang kompetisyon sa kanyang karera bilang bahagi ng national squad.

… “I’m so excited and happy its official now that i am at the SEA Games team this December and i’m so happy to go (there in Thailand). Mission accomplished,” sinabi ni Kayla sa media huddle.

Pinaliwanag din ni Sanchez na mas mataas ang tsansa na makakopo ng ginto o kahit anumang medalya sa SEA Games sa kanyang signature event na freestyle.

“I want to accomplish as many goals as I can for the Philippines. I have specialized in 50, 100 and 200m freestyle so i could hold myself in the highest standard to achieve the gold medals. I gonna swim backstroke for fun and working on backstroke with my coach to make sure that i could hit my standard,” punto niya.

Matapos ang national trials ay babalik si Sanchez sa Canada upang ipagpatuloy ang kanyang training kasama ang University of British Columbia varsity squad at kung may oportunidad na magkaroon ng foreign training camp ay willing niyang sumali.

“If there is staging [local or foreign] camp before the competition, i would do my best to join i have to organize my classes in the school. I’m going to apply for the nursing program in the second year at UBC,”ibinahagi niya.

Bago siya umalis ng Pilipinas ay naging bahagi ng two-day swimming clinic para sa mga kabataan ng For The Win Royals Swim Club si Sanchez kasama ang kapwa SEA Games qualifer Xiandi Chua at PH Triathlete Raven Alcoseba na ginanap sa Pasig City mula August 25-26. By Gab Ferreras