MANILA – Filipino-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez has secured a spot in the women’s 100-meter freestyle semifinals at the Paris Olympics, held at La Defense Arena on Tuesday.

In her second Olympics, and first representing the Philippines, Sanchez finished 10th overall out of 29 swimmers. Her time of 53.67 seconds placed her fourth in Heat 4, advancing her to the next round.

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey won the heat with a time of 53.02 seconds, followed by Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands (53.22) and Torri Huske of the United States (53.53).

Sanchez, who previously competed for Canada, was competitive throughout the race, staying close to the leaders before finishing fourth. The semifinal phase is scheduled for early Wednesday (PH time).

Born in Singapore and raised in Toronto, Sanchez’s parents are Filipino immigrants from Pampanga and Baguio City. At the Tokyo Olympics, she won silver and bronze with Canada’s freestyle and medley relay teams.

Her father, Noel, remarked on her achievements, emphasizing that ethnic background is no barrier to success in sports.

(el Amigo/mnm)

MANILA — Kayla Sanchez is now  eligible to compete as a Filipino in the Paris 2024 Olympics, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino announced on Friday.

“This is good news for Philippine swimming as Kayla and we won’t have to wait two more years for her to be able to represent our country in the Olympics,” said Tolentino from Canada where he visited the Canadian Olympic Team headquarters in Toronto.

Tolentino wrote the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last November 8 requesting the IOC to waive the three-year residency rule that covers athletes who switch nationalities.

Sanchez—a full-blooded Filipino whose father was originally from Mabalacat (Pampanga) and mother from Baguio City—was part of Canada’s silver medal-clinching women’s 4×100 meters women’s relay team in Tokyo 2020.

Considered one of Canada’s top swimmers, she switched citizenship in June last year and was able to swim for the Philippines at the Hangzhou Asian Games last September.

“The IOC Executive Board decided to consent to your request for exemption from the three-year waiting period and thus confirm the eligibility [from a nationality perspective] of Ms. Kayla Sanchez to represent the Philippines at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, subject to qualification,” the IOC informed Tolentino in a letter dated Wednesday (November 29) and signed by Director of NOC Relations and Olympic Solidarity James MacLeod.

The IOC sent copies of the letter to World Aquatics and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Sanzhes could qualify for Paris through individual qualification, relay qualification or universality.

(AI/MNM)