Tolentino promises full support staff for swimmer Kayla Sanchez

TAGAYTAY CITY-Hardened by major league races around the globe, Kayla Noelle Sanchez has a polished swimming technique that could put her in the spotlight at the Olympics.

The natural talent in the pool can be enhanced by building strong support around experienced Olympic medalists.

“We plan to surround him (Sanchez) with a team of experts, as we do [Olympic gold medalist] Hidilyn Diaz [-Naranjo],” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told the entire Inquirer Sports staff during a group planning session here on Monday.

This proved to be a successful formula for success as evidenced by the achievements of Diaz-Naranjo, whose weightlifting gold at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics ended almost a century of waiting for the country to get the main prize on the biggest stage of global sports.

Sanchez caught the attention of Philippine swimming officials after helping Team Canada to a silver medal in the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay and bronze in the 4×100-meter medley relay at the Tokyo Olympics. Born to Filipino parents Susana and Noel from Mabalacat, Pampanga, the 21-year-old Sanchez has agreed to switch his allegiance to the Philippines and can begin his duties with the national team at the FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in July after a 12-month residency. in the country.

Residency 3 years

She won two silver medals in the women’s 4×100m freestyle and 4×100m freestyle medley and a pair of bronze medals in the 4×200m free and 4×100m relay for Canada at the World Championships. in Budapest, Hungary, early last year.

For the Paris 2024 Olympics, Sanchez will have to complete a three-year residency, but it can be shortened with the support of World Aquatics, the International Olympic Committee and the POC.

“We will definitely give her all the help she needs. Building a team around our athletes has proven to be successful and that’s what we want to do with Kayla,” Tolentino said.

The POC chairman sat down with Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann over the weekend and discussed the country’s preparations for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Sanchez will enjoy the same template successfully applied to Diaz-Naranjo and Europe-based No. 3 pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena as the POC will determine a team composed of nutritionists, sports psychologists and physiotherapists two of his coaches.

“This expert will be special for him, the same as what has been done for Hidilyn and EJ,” said Tolentino, noting that the gymnast of Japanese origin Carlos Yulo will be given the same treatment.

Sports psychologist Karen Trinidad is part of Team HD’s success at the Olympics as well as nutritionist Jeanette Aro and head coach Diaz-Naranjo’s husband Julius Naranjo, who will be assisted by Roel Garcia, a member of the national weightlifting team.

Obiena’s team

Assisting Obiena are Ukrainian head coach Vitaly Petrov, physiotherapist Francesco Viscusi, osteopath Antonio Guglietta, Carol and Jim Lafferty in nutrition and psychologist Sheryll Casuga.

Sanchez owns a personal best of 53.12 seconds in the 100-m freestyle, which was completed at the Tokyo Olympics, just a fraction of Australia’s Cate Campbell’s Olympic bronze medalist’s 52.52 seconds.

The clock was better than the Asian Games record of 53.27 set by Japan’s Rikako Ikee at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia and better than the current Asian Games standard of 54.74 by Singapore’s Quah Ting Wen. INQ

Read Next

For suggestions, complaints, or questions, please contact us.