Sunglao's Animo Helped Sea Lions To Achieve 10-Peat

Wilfredo Sunglao Jr., a marketing management student at San Beda College, bucked a serious case of cramps to finish with six gold medals and two silvers for the Sea Lions at the close of the 87th National Collegiate Athletic Association swimming competitions at the Rizal memorial pool in Vito Cruz, Manila.

The 17-year-old Sunglao had to endure stiffness in both his arms, but still had enough resolve to clinch the gold in the men’s 200-meter freestyle and the silver in the 50-meter freestyle.

Together with the five golds he won on Friday, Sunglao brought his total haul to six golds as the Sea Lions dominated the men’s side for the 10th consecutive season.

La Salle-Greenhills, coached by former varsity star Evan Grabador and led by Rafael Sta. Maria, who won six golds and a silver, ruled the junior division for the eighth consecutive season with 1211 points, with San Sebastian College and San Beda College finishing second and third, respectively, with 588 and 493 points.

Samuel Gregorio Ongjoco, meanwhile, led San Sebastian’s drive with six golds, all in record-breaking fashion.

San Beda also dominated the women’s side with eight golds, seven silvers and four bronzes for an aggregate 674.25 points, while CSB and Arellano finished second and third with 330.5 and 216.5.


“Hindi ako nagkulang sa training. I did my best throughout the whole competition,” said Sunglao after the Sea Lions finished the three-day meet with 1,308 points, built around 17 golds, 10 silvers and six bronzes.

Sunglao snatched the golds in the 400-meter freestyle, the 100-meter backstroke and a silver in the 4x50 meter freestyle relay on his first day

He also rule the 200-meter freestyle, and led San Beda’s 4x100 meter freestyle squad to a record-shattering performance and then settled for another silver in the 50-meter event on the second day.

He capped his gold-winning skein with a gold in the 100-meter freestyle on Saturday.

College of St. Benilde finished second with 522 points, behind a 2-4-7 gold-silver-bronze tally, after Miguel Gonzaga outpaced Sunglao in the 50-meter freestyle. He also anchored the CSB Blazers to a record-setting gold in the 4x50 meter freestyle relay.

Neale Paolo Banagale, Andrei Manzo, Joselito Vinluan Jr, topped the 200-meter, the 100-meter backstroke and the 400-meter individual medley events to contribute to the Dondon Roxas-coached San Beda’s decade of dominance.