Philippine teen swimmer breaks records at SEA Games

Philippines’ Teia Isabella Dunlap Salvino poses with the gold medal after winning the women’s 100m backstroke final in SEA Games 32 on May 10, 2023. Photo by Reuters/Chalinee Thirasupa

The 17-year-old finished in 1 minute and 1.64 seconds, surpassing the record of 1 minute and 1.89 seconds set by Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Anh Vien at the 2017 Games in Malaysia.

She was two seconds faster than Faith Elizabeth Koo of Singapore. Indonesia’s Angel Gabriella Yus won the bronze medal.

She also broke her national record of 1 minute and 2.7 seconds set by Chloe Isleta at the ASEAN University Swimming Championships in Thailand last year. Isleta finished fourth on Wednesday.

Philippine-American Salvino is currently a member of the University of Alabama, U.S., swimming team.

Last week she set a new national record of 28.99 seconds in the 50m backstroke though that only fetched her a bronze medal.

Earlier Xiandi Chua won the Philippines’ first swimming gold medal in the women's 200m backstroke, finishing in 2 minutes and 13.20 seconds, which also broke the games record set by Vien in 2017.

The Philippines are currently fifth in the medal standings with 26 gold medals.