LSGH defends NCAA swimming crown in dominant fashion
MANILA, Philippines — La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) put on a masterclass in the water, hauling a formidable total of 12 gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze medals to successfully defend their championship title in the boys' juniors division of the NCAA Season 102 swimming competitions at the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Swimming phenom Rafael Titus Sia spearheaded the Green Titans' onslaught, claiming a staggering seven golds, one silver, and setting three new NCAA records on his way to earning both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Year honors. Sia etched his name in the league's history books with stellar record-shattering performances in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:57.46, the 800m freestyle clocking in at 8:46.19, and the 1500m freestyle ending at 16:56.81.
Not to be outdone, Behrouz Elite Swimming Team standouts Kristian Yugo Cabana and Behrouz Mohammad ‘Madi’ Mojdeh delivered elite performances to cement LSGH's dominance. “Winning the NCAA championship for the second year in a row feels really special, especially knowing how much work everyone put into this season. We all had our own struggles during the competition. Some races didn't go as planned, and there were moments when we felt disappointed, but we just had to move on, trust our training, and keep fighting for the team,” Mojdeh said.
“For me, I'm really happy with my personal bests and podium finishes, but what makes me even happier is that we were able to win the championship together. Every race and every point mattered, and everyone contributed in their own way,” he added.
Cabana powered his way to four golds, three silvers and one bronze, highlighted by gold-medal finishes in the 100m and 200m butterfly events. “For my first NCAA, I'm really happy to have won eight medals and helped our team become back-to-back champions. Breaking the 2:10 barrier in my 200 Fly and winning gold was one of my best moments, although being just 0.09 seconds away from the record was really sayang,” Cabana said.
“On the last day, I won bronze in the 50 Fly and ended the competition with a gold in our medley relay, which made it even more special.” Meanwhile, Mojdeh carved out a stellar four-day campaign with two golds, thee silvers and two bronzes. The 15-year-old Mojdeh was a vital cog in the golden relay squads, anchoring triumphs in the 4x50m and 4x100m medley relays. He also secured individual silvers in the 200m breaststroke, 200m backstroke, and 200m butterfly, alongside bronze medals in the 400m freestyle and 400m Individual Medley (IM).
“I'm not done yet. These four days of racing taught me so much about myself as a swimmer. I learned what I still lack, what I need to improve, and how much more I can push myself,” said Mojdeh.
“There were races where I knew I could have done better, and instead of staying disappointed, I want to use those experiences to motivate me to work even harder. I'm proud of what I achieved, but I know I still have so much more to learn and a lot more to give.” Additional firepower came from key contributors such as Gerald Esquivel, who captured four golds including the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 4x50m freestyle, and 4x100m freestyle, alongside two bronzes in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. Gilbert Rodevic added two golds in the relay events, three silvers in the 50m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, and 200m breaststroke, and one bronze in the 200m butterfly. Rafael Ubiadas also contributed significantly, taking home two golds in the 4x50m medley and 4x100m freestyle relays.
The championship defense was masterfully orchestrated by veteran coaches Evan Grabador, Uwy Vega, and Princess Amodia, whose leadership steered the green-and-white juggernaut to ultimate glory. TMT
