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Miguel Molina swims for Olympic success |
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Source : Staff
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Saturday, 09 August 2008 11:59 |
 When the Beijing Olympic Games begin in August, the Philippine swim team can be confident knowing that they have a talented and fiercely competitive athlete among their ranks: Miguel Molina.
Sports observers have noted that Miguel has a fairly good chance of reaching the final and even grabbing a medal.
Born in Quezon City, Miguel and his family moved to Tokyo when he was only three. His love affair with swimming started when he was six years old and according to an anecdote he shares, he was placed in a bathtub immediately after he was born and he was floating. “I don’t know if there’s any truth to the story, but I guess you could say I started early,” says Miguel.
As a world-class athlete, Miguel follows a strict training regimen but it doesn’t mean he can’t have fun. He recently took a break from his training and flew to Manila to catch up with family and friends and see more of his native Philippines . Miguel admits that he wasn’t used to all the attention. What he’s used to, of course, is taking to the swimming pool and posting great performances. He says that his best strokes and times are 4:23.2 in the 400 individual medley (IM), 2:04.9 in the 200 IM, 1:52.8 in the 200 freestyle and 2:20.8 in the 200 breast stroke.
The 24-year-old international relations major at University of California Berkeley says that despite his relative success, he doesn’t see himself as a role model. “I just try to be on my best behavior all the time, I don’t change my lifestyle and I try not to be affected by the pressure of competing and being an Olympian. Instead, I use the pressure as an inspiration to become a better person and athlete,” says Miguel.
So what makes a champion swimmer? Miguel says one has to have good swimming techniques, be mentally tough, focused and on track with one’s goals. He adds that one needs to almost be “borderline perfectionist” to become a champion swimmer.
As for his regimen, Miguel says he wakes up at 6:30 a.m. practices in the pool for two hours and does exercises for an hour each day. Things can, of course, get tough, which is why Miguel stresses the importance of keeping things fun. “If you’re forced to do it, then it’s probably not for you,” he enthuses.
Miguel’s performances surely hadn’t gone unnoticed. This year, he, along with boxer Nonito Donaire Jr., were feted by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) with Athlete of the Year honors. He was likewise awarded Swimmer of the Year in 2006 by the PSA. At the 2005 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Manila , Miguel won three gold medals. At the 2003 SEA Games in Vietnam, Miguel was the most be-medaled Philippine athlete, winning two gold medals, two silver medals and three bronze medals.
This will be the second time that Miguel will represent the Philippines in the Olympics. “It’s all about making my country proud,” says Miguel. In 2004, he represented the country in the Athens Games and just like he did in his previous Olympics stint, expect Miguel to perform at his best and make a splash, as he again endeavors to showcase his talents and winning spirit.
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