The eight-man Philippine Junior swimming team failed to bring home any medals but gained experience and respect from seasoned rivals at the recently concluded 8th World Junior Swimming Championship in Lima, Peru.
Nicknamed the ‘Water Beast’, Michaela Jasmine Mojdeh became the most impressive Pinoy campaigner in the prestigious tournament that featured the best young swimmers in the world when she advanced to the 16-swimmer semifinals of the girls’ 100-m butterfly with a time of 1:03.82.
Philippine Swimming Inc. has yet to make an official statement but based on the pronouncement of the local online site, the 15-year-old Mojdeh is the second Filipino to reach the semifinals of the World Championship.
The Grade 10 student at the International School fell short on her bid to make it to the Finals after placing 13th, but managed to improve her qualifying time with clocking of 1:03.43.
“The record is no longer important. It’s a blessing that Jasmine reached the semifinals. At this high level of competition, we are super proud of her achievement,” said Joan, Mojdeh’s mother, considered a protégé of the late Asian Games bronze medalist Susan Papa.
With Papa’s guidance, Mojdeh dominated the junior competition in the country and created a national record while competing in international competitions.
Aside from Mojdeh, the team included her Swimming League Philippines – Behrouz Elite Swimming Team (SLP-BEST) teammates Amina Bungubong and siblings Ruben and Heather White, as well as Mishka Sy, Gian Santos, Alexander Eichler, and Joshua Ang.