Sia dreams of Olympics after hitting Palaro sweep target
LAOAG, ILOCOS SUR—Titus Sia did what he set out to do in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, and that is to win all events that he swam in. He knows what he wants next.
“My ultimate dream now is the Olympics,” the 12-year-old Sia said after carting away three more gold medals while sinking another record, as he made it 7-for-7 to become the most decorated athlete before the curtains fall on these games on Saturday.
“I achieved my goal. I got all seven of them,” Sia, whose parents and two brothers tagged along to witness his exploits. went on. “I’m very happy because I even broke three records.’’
Sia concluded his stint with three golds on Friday, winning the elementary boys’ 400-meter (M) freestyle in record-shattering fashion of four minutes and 31.39 seconds before seizing another mint in the 50m backstroke in 30.93 seconds.
Gold No. 7 came in the 4x50m freestyle team relay where Sia anchored NCR to victory in 1:53.90 at Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr. swimming pool here where the Games were hosted by the Ilocos Norte provincial government led by outgoing Gov. Matthew Manotoc.
He reset the long-standing marks in the elementary boys 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke before erasing the 15-year-old standard of 4:35.42 by Omar Dacera in the 400m freestyle during the 2009 edition in Tacloban, Leyte.
Sia actually went from bringing home a lone bronze medal from the Cebu City Palaro last year, a failure that drove him to be at his best this year.
“I’m thankful because that bronze really inspired me to continue swimming,” Sia, who will gift himself with a new lego set for his feat, said. “I always thought about it prior to competing here.’’
Naina Tagle likewise shone after copping four golds, highlighted by a pair of record-breakers, and one silver in the girls secondary archery competitions.
The Central Visayas sharpshooter compiled 1,294 points to rule the 1440 event and wipe out her old standard of 1,278 during the 2023 Marikina City version.
Tagle also dominated the 30m event with 343, eclipsing the 342 achieved by Irish Angel Licudan of Ilocos Region last year in Cebu.
As of early Friday afternoon, NCR was already guaranteed of the overall title, unreachable with 99 gold, 65 silver and 41 bronze medals, while Calabarzon was a distant second (39-59-55) and Davao region third (36-22-33) among the 17 regions.
