It’s been a long 10 years since the Philippines last won a gold medal in any Southeast Asian Games swimming event. James Deiparine ended the drought by claiming the country’s first gold medal in the pool since 2009.
Image from Mark Demayo/ABS-CBN
(Philippines Makes A Strong Start At SEA Games 2019 With 42 Medals)
Deiparine was victorious at the men’s 100-meter breaststroke at the Aquatics Center in Capas town, Tarlac. He clocked 1 minute and 1.46 seconds, erasing the 10-year SEA Games record set by Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Viet ay 1:01.60.
Despite ranking second in the morning’s preliminaries, Deiparine bounced back to snatch the gold in the afternoon. Vietnam’s Thanh Bao Pham followed for the silver with a time of 1:01.92 while Singapore’s Chien Yin Lionel Khoo took the bronze.
(Carlos Yulo Concludes SEA Games Run With 7 Medals)
“I really wanted to get the gold after 2 silvers in the last SEA Games. This was the ultimate goal and doing it at home, here in the Philippines,” Deiparine shared with ABS-CBN. “I’m just trying to give my best for the Philippines and just to bring home the gold.”
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