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• ATHLETE'S FEET
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Rockin' the pool like a rockstar
The Hypersuperman
02.12.2008|Aeron Valderrama |
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On the year 2005, this 16 year-old kid never thought he stay in love with sport of swimming. His father actually wanted him, as expected from a Chinese family, to go into a business course in college and pursue such career path. However, this is also the year Ken decided he will take up something related to sports and continue splashing the waves of the pools.
He trained with the swimming teams of the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of the Philippines. What made him chose UP (save for education, which is a given) is the school's Varsity Swim Team (VST). He agrees with Evan and Nico (his former and current teammates, respectively) that there is a special thing about UP VST. He even goes into saying that it is more than a family. For him, they are more than "there" when one needs a helping. "Much like power," he further adds.
This is the same supportive spirit that made his academic and varsity life in UP easy. Ken describes his coaches as the type of coaches a swimmer needs to have—who pushes you to set goals for yourself, but who will not pressure you to achieve it even though you cannot do it yet. His team made it easy for him during enrolment and somethimes, in his studies. He also thank them for helping him ask permission on his academic requirements when he needs to compete internationally.
Ken is taking up Bachelor in Physical Education (PE). It is a natural choice for a person who is into sports and extreme activities. He, however, planes to shift to Bachelor of Science in Sports Science. He also wishes to take up Medicine, if circumstamces permit. Ken is interested in psychology and biometrics as areas of specialty. He is into psychology because he wants to know how people behaves and what one is thinking. Of course, the interest in biometrics stems from him being health concious and sporty guy. He wants to help people improve their physicality, especially, athletes like him.
He remembers his first year in the UAAP in the mighty year of 2005. Though only a rookie, Ken showed potential of making a great name for himself and give honor to the University. He won two silvers in his favorite events, the 50- and 100-meter freestyle under the shadow of Ateneo's Michaelmars Danila. It was a great pride in him just to have beaten the eventual Rookie of the Year in the prelims (wearing only a Spongbob Squarepants trunks, hahaha).
The following year had been a busy year for Ken. He competed in several meets internationally. He participated in the 2006 FINA World Short Course Championships held in Shanghai, China. This is where he broke the 12-year old mark set by one of the country's greats Ryan Papa. He clocked in at 1:55.41 in the 200-meter freestyle. After that he competed in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Age-Group Competitions and the Pan-Pacific Championships. He returned to the country in the time for the UAAP Swimming Championships where he started making a mark in the record books. he was then chosen to represent the country in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. About a week after, he flew to Hanoi, Vietnam and joined the other UAAP swimmers to represent the league and the country at the 13th ASEAN University Games. He clinched golds in 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle and he anchored the 400-meter freestyle relay team composed of Danila, Raphael Matthew Chua, Jeffrey James Laguitao, and himself.(continue...)
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He trained with the swimming teams of the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of the Philippines. What made him chose UP (save for education, which is a given) is the school's Varsity Swim Team (VST). He agrees with Evan and Nico (his former and current teammates, respectively) that there is a special thing about UP VST. He even goes into saying that it is more than a family. For him, they are more than "there" when one needs a helping. "Much like power," he further adds.
