HANGZHOU – Kayla Sanchez, an Olympic silver medalist for Canada, looks forward of competing in her first Asian Games for Team Philippines.
The 22-year-old Fil-Canadian will actually be suiting up in her first major international tournament for the country since changing nationalities last year.
Six events for Kayla Sanchez
Sanchez said she’s definitely looking forward to the experience of swimming alongside the best of the best in the Asian region.
“I’m excited to come here and compete. This is my first Asian Games, so I’m letting the experience guide me through. I’m just happy to be here with the team,” said Sanchez, who checked in with the rest of the swimming team on Thursday at the Athletes Village.
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Sanchez, who was part of Canada’s silver medal-winning 4x100m relay team during the Tokyo Olympics, trained for the Asiad in California along with Fil-Am Jarod Hatch.
Sanchez, whose parents are both Filipinos, is entered in six events — 100-meter backstroke, 100-m freestyle, 4x100-m freestyle relay, 4x100-meter medley relay, 50-m freestyle, and 50-m backstroke.
As for her chance of ending the country’s 25-year podium drought in swimming, Sanchez is keeping her fingers crossed.
“I’m obviously trying my best to place the highest for Team Philippines,” said the Fil-Canadian, who also won a bronze medal in the Tokyo Games as part of the 4x100 meter medley relay team.
Ryan Papa was the last swimmer to take home a medal for the Philippines in the Asiad, bagging two bronzes in the 1998 edition of the meet.
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