CHONBURI, Thailand – Kayla Sanchez made it three gold medals in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, taking the women’s 100m backstroke on Saturday at the Sport Authority of Thailand Aquatics Center.
Sanchez timed one minute, 2.35 seconds, winning the gold over Thailand’s Mia Millar by just 0.17 seconds.
The Filipina swimmer already has the 100m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle relay in her belt in this SEA Games.
READ: Kayla Sanchez bags second SEAG gold by winning 100m freestyle
Midway into the competition, Sanchez is already lost for words after the hat trick of golds with still more events to come.
“I’m speechless,” said Sanchez, according to a pool report. “It’s been a long competition. I still have four more events to go so I’m just taking it day by day.
“I knew I had to go out fast, just keep it together and stay calm in the last 50,” said the 24-year-old Sanchez.
What made the gold special is that Sanchez’s father, who was in the crowd, is celebrating his birthday.
“It’s also my dad’s birthday today so I wanted to win this medal for him. I wanted to win gold for the Philippines,” said Sanchez.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
