Sanchez pays it forward, holds swim clinic

Kayla Sanchez gives back to the Filipino community as she conducted a three-day training camp at the New Clark City Aquatic Center in Tarlac last weekend.

In an interview, the Filipino-Canadian swimmer said the camp, which she held shortly after seeing action in the Paris Olympics, is very special to her as it happened in Central Luzon, where his father, Noel, came from.

Sanchez, despite coming in as a two-time medalist for Canada, fell short of winning a medal after posting 54.21 seconds to finish 15th out of the 16 swimmers in the women’s 100-meter freestyle semifinal.

But in the process, she was able to set a national record of 53.67 seconds in the preliminary heats, breaking her previous best of 54.25 seconds that she tallied at the Mel Zajac Jr. International Meet last June in Vancouver.

“The camp was very special since it was held in Pampanga. My dad is from Pampanga. He helped his family there and he helped organize the whole camp,” said Sanchez, who didn’t hesitate to share her knowledge to young swimmers.

“I think it was about how I can use my knowledge for the younger swimmers. They were all so good. They were all so talented. They don’t know how talented they are.”

“It’s surreal because I was once in their place. That’s the crazy part. Not so long ago, I was just an age-group swimmer. I wanted to go to the Olympics and now, I’m the one that is pushing these kids to qualify for the next Olympics.”

Sanchez is set to return to Canada on 19 August as she enrolls at the University of British Columbia this year.

The 23-year-old Sanchez is excited to hone her skills while gearing up for future tournaments with the national team, starting with the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, where she is heavily expected to dominate.

“I think for once, I want to excel in my performance and I want to excel my mind,” Sanchez said.

“At the same time, I get to train with an amazing coach and have teammates supporting me. I’m so excited, really.”