THE NINTH edition of Olango Challenge, the country’s first open-water swimming competition, gets underway today with 72 swimmers battling for supremacy at the Pacific Cebu Resort in Barangay Suba-Basbas, Lapu-Lapu City.
Proceeds of the event will be used for the construction of a classroom, 450 chairs and desk in a chosen school in Olango.
Organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Philippine Swimming Inc., the Olango Challenge has led to the building of six classrooms while three others remain under construction.
Last year’s competition was marred by the death of a swimmer from the Philippine Air Force.
Eduardo Oriondo, who competed in the two-kilometer male competitive category, was found submerged at a depth of around 40 feet.
The swimmer was brought to a hospital where he was declared dead.
A representative of PBSP, who asked not to be named, said safety measures have been taken to prevent untoward incidents from happening.
“It’s (safety) always a priority. We have had support from our partners like the ERUF (Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation) and the Philippine Navy,” the representative said.
PBSP also held a free medical consultation last May 21 at the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC) as participants were given medical certificates.
Last year’s race attracted 80 participants.
In a separate interview, PBSP’s Reggie Barrientos said they disqualified two swimmers for not meeting the age requirement while five challengers failed to pass last week’s medical examiniation.