Ajido, added silver medal in record-breaking performance

Photo: Meet record holder silver medalist Jamesray Mishael Ajido (left) poses with their medals during the awarding ceremony for the boys’ 12-14 50m butterfly won by Yusei Nishiono of Japan (center) and bronze medalist Yashar Soleimani of Iran in the 11th Asian Age Group Championships at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac last Thursday. Also in the photo is Philippine Aquatics Inc., Membership Committee Chairman Anthony Reyes. (AAGC photo)

CAPAS, TARLAC – Host Philippines grabbed two more medals courtesy of Jamesray Mishael Ajido and Heather White in the final day of the swimming competition Thursday night at the 11th Age Group Championships at the New Clark City Aquatics Center here.

Ajido clocked 25.50s to secure the silver in the boys 12-14 50m butterfly event won by Japanese Yusei Nishiono (25.43s). Iranian Yashar Soleimani got the bronze in 26.02s.

It was sweet revenge for Nishiono, who settled for the silver when Ajido pocketed the gold medal in the 100m butterfly event last Wednesday.

Ajido’s 55.98s time in the 100m butterfly broke the meet record of 56.36 set by Chinese Yu Xiang Wang in 2019. Nishiono’s submitted a record-breaking 56.05s while Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Cheng Kan was third in 56.79.

Meanwhile, Filipino-British Heather White bagged another bronze medal, this time in the girls’ 15-17 100m where she clocked 57.86s to finish third behind Japan’s Ramika Taira (56.81) and Hong Kong’s Gilaine Ma (56.86).

Jasmine Mojdeh also contributed to the country’s medal haul, claiming the bronze medal in the girls 15-17 200m butterfly.

Ajido, a Grade 8 student at La Salle Greenhills, had a total of three medals, including a bronze in the 50m freestyle.

He is a double-gold medalist (100m butterfly and 100m backstroke) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99.

Last year, he won five gold and one bronze medals at the Batang Pinoy National Championships and pocketed two silvers at the SEA Age Group Championships in Indonesia last year.

Meanwhile, Filipino-British Heather White bagged another bronze medal, this time in the girls 15-17 100m freestyle where she clocked 57.86s to finish third behind Japan’s Ramika Taira (56.81) and Hong Kong’s Gilaine Ma (56.86).