300-Meter Swim for Kids to Highlight 12th Olango Challenge

For the first time, a 300-meter swim for young swimmers aged 11 to 13 will be included in the 12th Olango Challenge, the country’s premier open-water swimming event in Pacific Cebu Resort, Lapu-lapu City, Cebu.

The Olango Challenge is an open-water swimming event jointly organized by Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and Philippine Swimming, Inc. (PSI). The annual event is also a fundraising campaign for education projects that benefit the school children of Olango island.

Authorized by PSI, the Olango Challenge follows the format of the open-water swim category of the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008. This year, the race also features 6K and 1K distance for competitive and fun swimmers. The event will also feature the competitive men’s and women’s as well as the fun categories for 6K and 1K.

PROMOTING SWIMMING TO KIDS

To be eligible, participants must also present either a certificate of participation from the Palarong Pambansa within the last two years, proof of swim club team membership, or a certificate of participation from Batang Pinoy or any similar event within the last two years.

Meanwhile, swimmers of 1K and 6K races will navigate a rectangular race course fronting Pacific Cebu Resort. Only swimmers aged 14 and above are eligible to join the 1K and 6K categories.

To qualify for the races, all swimmers are required to present a medical certificate that declares them fit to participate in the event. They must wear the required swim caps provided by PBSP and PSI. Additionally, all participants must attend the orientation scheduled by the organizers on the day of the race. Participants who fail to attend the orientation will not be allowed to join the competition.

Registration fees are pegged at PhP1,000 for the 300M and 1K categories, and PhP1,500 for the 6K swims. Fee is inclusive of free transportation service from the pick-up point at The Persimmon Plus building (4 MJ Cuenco Ave. Mabolo, Cebu) to Pacific Cebu Resort. They will also get free meals, an exclusive Olango Challenge bag, certificate, finisher medal, finisher shirt, and other freebies. Around PhP60,000 worth of cash prizes as well as trophies will also be given to the winners.

SWIMMING TO BUILD SCHOOLS

Since the first Olango Challenge in 2008, the event has gathered over 900 swimmers and raised more than PhP15 million to fund nine classrooms in Candagsao, Caw-oy, Tungasan, and Talima elementary schools on Olango island.

It also supported the senior high school education of 190 students from Sta. Rosa and Nemesio-Epifania Memorial National High Schools through the provision of shielded metal arc welding equipment, sewing machines for dressmaking classes, immersion uniforms, assessment fees for national and technical vocational certifications, and monthly allowances for the students.

The Olango Challenge is sponsored by Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation, Aboitiz & Company, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., City Savings Bank, FINIS Philippines, GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation, PLDT Inc., TMX Philippines, Inc., PhilPacific Insurance Brokers & Managers, Juanito King & Sons, Inc., the Department of Tourism, SM Investments Corporation, and Wellmade Motors and Development Corporation.

The event is also supported by the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation, Philippine Red Cross Lapu-lapu/Cordova and Cebu Chapters, Island Buzz Philippines, Sawum Freedivers, and Scotty’s Action Sports Network, Inc.

To register, swimmers can visit PBSP’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/PBSP.org or email olangochallenge@pbsp.org.ph. Participants may also contact PBSP through (032) 232-5270 or 09176218075.