KAYLA Sanchez registered the fifth-best time in the women’s 50m freestyle heats to qualify in Thursday’s afternoon finals in her final event in the 20th Asian Games swimming at the Tokyo Aquatics Center.
Sanchez timed 24.97 seconds to place third in Heat 4, just enough to become one of the 10 finalists who will swim for a medal at 5 p.m. local time (4 p.m. Manila time).
READ: Kayla Sanchez takes rest for best chance at gold in 50m freestyle
The stage is set for Sanchez's last shot to win a medal and end the Philippines' 28-year podium drought in Asiad swimming.
The three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist will battle it out against the likes of Wu Qingfeng of China, who had the best time in the heats with 24.33 seconds and coming from a gold in the 4x100m freestyle.
Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong placed second with a time of 24.70 and will be seeking her third gold medal in this Asian Games following her conquest of the women’s 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle.
After missing out on bronze in the 100m freestyle by just 0.18 seconds last Tuesday, Sanchez has gone all-out for a medal in this event, having pulled out of Wednesday’s 100m backstroke to get all the rest she can.
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