AGUSAN, DEL SUR — Two young standouts flexed their dominance in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa swimming competition, rewriting meet records in impressive fashion on Tuesday at the Datu Lipus Makapandong-Governor Democrito O. Plaza Sports Complex.
Charles Nathan Boneo of Region IV-A (Calabarzon) and Riannah Chantelle Coleman of the National Academy of Sports headlined the record-breaking spree after dominating their respective events.
Boneo delivered a statement performance in the elementary boys’ Under-12 400-meter freestyle, clocking 4:30.63 to secure the gold medal while erasing the previous Palaro record of 4:31.39 set by Titus Rafael Sia of the National Capital Region.
The 12-year-old Imus native made an immediate impact in his Palaro debut, showcasing both confidence and ambition as he set his sights on rewriting the record books across all his events. Far from being satisfied with a single gold medal, Boneo made it clear that his ultimate goal is to break records in all seven of his entries.
“Coming here, I really felt good about myself because I trained really hard, and I really look forward to breaking all the records,” Boneo said, emphasizing that his motivation goes beyond podium finishes.
Still with six events left—including the 50m butterfly, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, and relay events—Boneo expressed unwavering belief in his preparation and ability to surpass both his competitors and existing standards.
“I can beat all of them. I can also beat Titus’ record. This confidence is coming from myself because I really trained hard for this moment,” he added.
Peter Greyson of Caraga claimed the silver medal in the event after touching the wall in 4:34.46, while David Tristan Reyes of Calabarzon also registered 4:34.46 to settle for bronze.
Coleman, meanwhile, continued her dominance in the pool by topping her own record in the secondary girls’ 100-meter breaststroke. The National Academy of Sports product clocked 1:14.82 to capture gold, surpassing her previous best and further cementing her status as one of the competition’s premier swimmers.
Krystal Ava David of NCR secured the silver medal with a time of 1:14.92, while Jamandre Kassandra of Region VI finished in 1:18.30 to take bronze.
