USC harvests 39 gold medals, rules Cesafi swimming tilt anew 

The USC Torpedo Warriors swimming team pose for a group photo after the Cesafi swimming competition 2023. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of San Carlos (USC) Torpedo Warriors dominated the one-day Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) swimming competition 2023 held on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at their own turf in the USC Main Campus swimming pool in downtown Cebu City. 

The Torpedo Warriors ruled in 39 of the 42 events in the college division. They bagged 39 gold medals surpassing last year’s haul of 30 gilts. 

They also added 24 silver medals, and seven bronzes.

Meanwhile, the Cebu Doctors University (CDU) and University of Cebu (UC) each won a gold medal each. CDU also has eight silvers and 13 bronzes, while UC grabbed four silvers and seven bronzes. 

In the high school division, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles and UC each finished with 20 gold medals. SHS-AdC also grabbed 18 silvers and 16 bronzes, while UC had 14 silvers and seven bronzes. 

Maria Angela Beatriz Cimafranca of USC. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal

USC’S SUPER ROOKIE

One of USC’s winningest swimmers was rookie Maria Angela Beatriz Cimafranca who snagged seven gold medals. She topped five individual events and two relay events despite being a first-timer in Cesafi. 

Cimafranca, who is a native of Ormoc City, ruled the women’s 100-meter breaststroke, 100m butterfly, 200m breaststroke, 50m breaststroke, and 200m IM in her individual events, including the two relay events.

“It’s not my first time winning seven gold medals, but it’s my first time in Cesafi, but I didn’t expect to win this many gold medals because I lacked the training. It was our midterm exams last week and the finals exam is already nearing,” said Cimafranca, a nursing student.

“I just have to wake up each day and train and instill discipline [on] myself. It was a nice feeling because I was successful in everything I worked hard for in this competition.” 

Cimafranca isn’t new in winning this many gold medals. She revealed that she already won major competitions such as the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association, the Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy. 

Also, Cimafranca’s teammate, Jehaosh Reign Garrido, earned seven gold medals after he ruled in six individual events and one relay event. He topped the 100m breaststroke men’s, 100m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 50m butterfly, and 50m breaststroke, including the one relay event he won. 

USC’S OTHER GOLD MEDALISTS

The other multiple gold medalists from USC in last Saturday’s Cesafi swimming competition were Renz Wynn Corbin (1,500m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle), Cecille Andrea Mole (800m freestyle women’s, 400m IM, 400m freestyle), Fiona Alcoseba (200m freestyle women’s), Reu Rome Francoise Tiu (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m backstroke), Necie Grace Bullecer (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 50m backstroke), and Renzo Pahaganas (200m butterfly,400m IM).

The rest of USC’s gold medalists were Eim Espina (200m butterfly), Nicole Marie Del Rosario (50m freestyle), Mika Ella Carredo (100m freestyle), Kent Dominic Pedrano (100m freestyle), Althea Mataragnon (100m freestyle), Bencynt Ghail Luague (50m butterfly women’s), and Gil Anton Talisaysay (200m IM).

The relay events that USC topped were the 4x100m freestyle relay men’s, 4x100m freestyle relay women’s, 4x50m medley relay men’s, 4x50m medley relay women’s, 4x50m freestyle relay men’s, 4x50m freestyle relay women’s, 4x100m medley relay men’s, 4x100m medley relay women’s, and the 4x200m freestyle relay men’s.

Behind USC’s success in the Cesafi swimming competition 2023 was their head coach Jebb Cane and assistant coach Ronald Manlosa. 

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