Ajido, Polo put Phl bid in motion

DAKAR, Senegal — Jamesray Mishael Ajido plunges into action in swimming and Angel Polo brings her young act in wushu as competitions kick off on Sunday, a day after Africa welcomed close to 3,000 athletes to the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that’s being played for the first time in the African continent.

Ajido swims in the third of four heats for the men’s 100 meters butterfly at 10:54 a.m. (6:54 p.m. in Manila) at the Complexe Tour de l’Ceuf pool, while Polo vies for a final 8 seat against 10 opponents in the preliminary round of women’s Taijishian at the Diamniadio Expo Centre starting at 10:12 a.m. (6:12 p.m. in Manila).

“I hope to do my best here, because these are the YOG and it’s already a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be here,” said Ajido, 17, and an 11th grader at Homeschool Global. “I trained very hard for months for this.”

It would be a swim against the tide for Ajido — silver medalist at the 2024 Southeast Asian age-group championships and a Palarong Pambansa record holder — in the event where 31 swimmers will be targeting the eight berths in the final scheduled 3:32 p.m. (Dakar time) also on Sunday.

Polo, who’ll turn 16 this December, brings with her a bronze accomplishment at the 10th World junior championships in Tanjin, China, last March — on the YOG mat where she’ll be facing 11 opponents in the traditional Chinese martial art.

Shy and unassuming, the 10th grader at Pasay North City High School said she’s happier than ever competing on the most prestigious sporting stage for junior athletes.

“Very very happy,” she said, adding that her school allowed her to take a leave from her academics to train for Dakar.

“I trained twice a day under coach Li [Chinese Li Jianfang] from 9 to 11 in the morning and 4 to 7 in the afternoon and evening,” she said.

On Monday, Polo will again compete in the women’s Taijiquann preliminaries and it will be Riannah Chantelle Coleman’s turn in the pool in the women’s 200 meters breaststroke heats.

The wushu finals are scheduled Monday.