Mojdeh secures PH Team slot for the ASEAN Schools Games

(Photo: Mojdeh listens to her coach Virgil game plan. SLP)

JUNIOR swimming phenom Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh made it anew to the Philippine Team for the ASEAN Schools Games set this year with another brilliant performances, winning five of the nine gold medals output of Team Calabarzon (Region 4A) in the ongoing 2022 National Invitational Sports Competition at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

A day before celebrating ‘Sweet 16’, the Brent International School student put up another one-woman show in the tournament serving as national selection for members of the PH Team in the ASG – an annual sports event for secondary school students in the ASEAN region slated on November in Dumaguete City — with victories in the girls 200-m Fly (2:25.01) beating teammates Renavive Subida (2:31.61) and Shairine Floriano (2:31.61).

Mojdeh, dubbed ‘Water Beast’, also dominated the 100-m Fly (1:05.26) against Floriano (1:06.36) and Jaye Dignadice of Mimaropa (1:08.24) as well as the 400-m Individual Medley (5:18.51) over Jie Talosig of Socsargen (4:24.95) and Margarette Abongas of Davao (5:30.23)

In the meet opening on Sunday, the protegee of the late Olympian Susan Papa, topped the girls’ 200m, Individual Medley with a time of two minutes and 30.10 seconds to beat silver medalist Mishka Sy of National Capital Region (2:31.89) and bronze winner Lora Amoguis of Davao Region (2:32.73).

The Philippine national record holder and Palarong Pambansa standout also ruled the girls’ 50m butterfly in 29.89 seconds, outlasting Angeline de la Torre of Eastern Visayas (30.23) and Triza Tabamo of Central Luzon (30.31). This is the second time Mojdeh joined Ph Team in annual event as she was part of the squad in the 2019 edition in Semarang, Indonesia.

“We’re humbled and thankful sa lahat ng blessing na nakuha ni Jasmine (Mojdeh). Yung sacrifices niya at ni coach Virgil (De Luna) talagang nag-paid off. After three tournaments in two months, Jasmine is back on the PH Team,” said Joan Mojdeh, mother of Jasmine referring to the last two tournaments where Jasmine also made marks.

In the recently-concluded Philippine Swimming Inc.-organized Philippine National-Age Group (PNAG) Championships – serving as tryouts for members of the National junior and training pool – Mojdeh swept her seven events while collecting two golds and one silver in the prestigious 10th Circle of Swimmers of Melun Val de Seine held in Melun, France last month.

Other Calabarzon bets Nicolas Ivan Radovan and Marcus Johannes De Kam contributed with victories in their respective events. Radovan won the 200-m Fly in the time of two minutes and 11.88 seconds opposite teammate Hugh Antonio Parto (2:13.94) and the 100-m Fly (58.61). He also finished silver in the 400-m IM.

De Kam, meanwhile, delivered in the 200-m Free (55.07), while younger brother Julian De Kam (800m Free) and Yohan Mikhail Cabaña (100m backstroke) claimed bronze medals.