CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Two young swimmers from Bukidnon made their mark in Bangkok, bringing home eight medals, including four golds and a tournament record, from the 3rd Asian Open Schools Invitational Short Course Swimming Championships on Aug. 29–30.

Six-year-old Solana Aislah “Daday” Ayco of Valencia City led the Bukidnon medal haul, winning four golds and two silvers in the girls’ 6-year-old division.

Ayco topped the 25-meter butterfly, 50-meter freestyle, 25-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly, while also taking silver in the 25-meter and 50-meter breaststroke.

Her biggest breakthrough came in the 25-meter butterfly, where she set a new tournament record and earned the 2nd Most Outstanding Swimmer award in her category.

“Happy kaayo ko … naka Gold ko dayun naka New tournament record ko sa akong favorite na stroke, butterfly stroke,” Ayco said. She added that she wanted to win both gold and the top Most Outstanding Swimmer award to make her family and Philippine coaches proud.

Finishing second overall brought mixed emotions for the young swimmer.

“Happy but sad pud ko … kay gusto gyud ko ma Top 1 kay naningkamot gyud ko,” Ayco said.

Her mother helped her put the result in perspective, reminding her that the experience could motivate her to train harder for the next competition.

“Plan ni Lord para mas maningkamot pa ko ug training ug himoon pa ang best sunod,” Ayco recalled.

Another Bukidnon swimmer on the podium

Eight-year-old Julia Lois Palo of Malaybalay City added two more medals, winning silver in the girls’ 8-and-under 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly.

“I was very happy and excited! I was proud to represent Bukidnon and the Philippines,” Palo said.

Although she hoped for gold, Palo said she was grateful for her two silver medals.

The competition also gave her a chance to race swimmers from 14 countries.

“The most fun part was meeting and racing with swimmers from different countries,” she said.

Facing strong international competitors also tested her nerves, but Palo said she relied on her preparation and coaching.

“I just listened to my coaches, stayed focused, and did my best,” she said.

No shortcut to success

Behind the medals is a demanding training routine that starts early in the morning and often continues at night.

The swimmers train in Valencia City, where their parents said they continue to practice despite rain, heat and limited facilities—including the lack of diving blocks.

“Sa swimming walay magic but pure hardwork and consistency,” their parents said.

The young swimmers must also balance training with schoolwork, sometimes traveling after classes just to make it to practice.

“Walay holiday sa swimming,” their parents said.

For the families, however, the sacrifices are worth it.

“Their sport is their journey, but your support is their foundation,” they said. “There is no shortcut in success. Ilang success, kadaogan nato ginikanan.”

Building champions, not rushing them

Their coach said the preparation for the Bangkok meet focused not only on physical conditioning but also on managing pressure.

“We prepared them little by little, both physically and mentally,” the coach said, reminding the swimmers to focus on their preparation, technique and approach to every race.

The goal now is long-term development rather than rushing the young athletes for immediate results.

“They are still very young, so we don’t want to rush their journey,” the coach said. “We want to build their skills, confidence, discipline, and love for swimming step by step.”

Competing against swimmers from 14 countries was already a major achievement, the coach added.

More importantly, the performance of Ayco and Palo could inspire other young swimmers in Bukidnon to dream beyond their hometown pools.

For these two young athletes, Bangkok was more than a medal hunt—it was a glimpse of how far hard work, family support and a love for swimming can take them.