Swimmer Kayla Sanchez at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games. POC Media
(UPDATED) Filipina swimmer Kayla Sanchez has won her third gold medal in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games after ruling the women's 100-meter backstroke, Saturday night in Thailand.
She clocked 1:02.35, besting Thailand's Mia Millar (1:02.52), who got the silver and Indonesia's Flairene Candrea (1:02.60), who settled for the bronze.
Sanchez previously won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay team and women's 100m freestyle.
"I am speechless, it's been a long competition… I still have more events to go, so I am just taking it day by day," Sanchez said. "I knew I had to go out fast."
"I just keep it together and stay calm… Also, it's my dad's birthday today. So I want to win this medal for him, and win that gold for the Philippines."
She registered 54.82 seconds in the 100m freestyle event for her second championship, after joining forces with Xiandi Chua, Chloe Esleta, and White in their 4x100m relay freestyle conquest for the country's first-ever gold in that event.
She also got two silvers in 50m backstroke and 200m freestyle.
Sanchez still has five remaining events: 4x100m mixed medley, 50m freestyle, 4x200m free relay, 50m butterfly, and 4x100m medley relay.