CAGAYAN de Oro City— Eight-year-old Cagayan de Oro swimmer Carl Fredrick Quizon made a record-setting splash at the 3rd Cebu Race Pace Swim Meet ABC, sweeping all six events he entered from Aug. 21 to 23 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Quizon won gold in the 200-meter individual medley, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle.

His six-gold haul also earned him the Most Outstanding Swimmer title for Category A and saw him break a regional age-group record that had stood during the 2024-2025 season.

For Quizon, competing in Cebu was as much about enjoying the sport as winning medals.

“Butterfly is my favorite! It is hard, but I like the challenge and I feel strong when I swim it,” Quizon said.

He said seeing his mother and coach, Erickson Jadap, celebrate his performance was one of the highlights of the competition.

“Seeing my Mom and my Coach happy was the best part. I was very proud and thankful!” he said.

Family effort behind the medals

Quizon’s success is backed by a family that continues to adjust its schedule, priorities and budget to support his swimming journey from Cagayan de Oro to competitions outside the city.

His mother said watching her son race in Cebu brought a mix of excitement and emotion, especially after he completed his six-gold sweep and received the Most Outstanding Swimmer award.

“Honestly, grabe gyud akong excitement and mixed emotions,” she said. “Every race, I was praying and cheering for Carl.”

She acknowledged the demands of supporting a young athlete, including early training sessions, travel and competition expenses.

“Dili gyud siya easy,” she said. “As parents, we really need to adjust our time and priorities. Kapoy usahay, but we always remind ourselves nga this is something Carl loves.”

The family also makes an effort to keep Quizon grounded, emphasizing enjoyment and continuous learning rather than medals alone.

“Be proud, be thankful, but always stay humble. Enjoy swimming and keep learning,” his mother tells him.

Building skills beyond speed

Jadap said Quizon’s training has focused on developing all his strokes and building a strong technical foundation.

“Since bata pa si Carl, we focus on developing all his strokes, dili lang sa speed,” Jadap said.

The training program emphasizes proper technique, body position, turns and endurance—fundamentals designed to support Quizon’s long-term development as a swimmer.

Jadap said Quizon’s performance in the butterfly events, particularly the 100m butterfly, showed improvements in rhythm and stroke control.

The next step is to continue refining his technique and consistency while keeping training appropriate for his age and helping him avoid burnout.

At eight, Quizon has already shown that young athletes from Cagayan de Oro can make their mark beyond the city. But for the young swimmer, the focus remains simple: keep learning, enjoy the water and continue racing.