by Sun Star Pampanga
National athlete and Kapampangan swimmer Kayla Sanchez set a new Philippine record in the women’s 50-meter backstroke at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan on Monday, September 21.
Sanchez broke her own national record twice in a single day. She first clocked 28.24 seconds in the heats, improving on her previous record of 28.47 seconds set at the 2025 Southeast Asian Games. She then lowered the mark again in the finals with a time of 28.19 seconds.
Despite her record-breaking performance, Sanchez missed the podium and finished fifth in the final.
Before representing the Philippines, Sanchez was an Olympic medalist as part of the Canadian swimming team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In 2023, World Aquatics approved the change of her sporting nationality from Canada to the Philippines.
Sanchez has Filipino roots in Pampanga, as her father is originally from Mabalacat City.
Since 2023, she has represented the Philippines in international competitions, including the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2026 Asian Games.
| via Vin Dela Peña, CLTV36 News
📸 Philippine Olympic Committee / Kayla Sanchez
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