The day after Christmas in 1965, a long-distance swimming
competition was organized by Dr. Clodualdo Manas, manager of the Nonino
Swimming Club of Laguna, involving crossing the Laguna Lake. From the starting
point of barrio Pipindan, Binangonan, to
the coastline of barrio Cuyab in San Pedro Laguna, the total distance was about
18 kilometers.
Dubbed as Swimathon 1965, the local challenge was reminiscent of the English Channel swim contest where athletes swam across the Channel unaided by an escort. The event attracted 22 participants—from former Olympians to a 10-year-old boy swimmer. The race started on the Pipindan shore at 7:30 a.m. on a clear Dec.26 morning, after the water temperature was checked.
By 12:30 p.m. 16 of the original 22 starters had given
up, including 10 year old Noli Manas, fished out from the water by a motorboat.
The remaining swimmers plodded on, stroke after stroke.
First to make it to the finish line after five hours and five minutes was high school student Loreto Garcia, a UAAP champion swimmer from Far Eastern University, with a time of 5 hours, 5.5 minutes . But what caught the crowd’s attention was the second placer—15-year-old high school girl, Hedvig “Hedy” Garcia, who timed in at 5 hours, 40 minutes and 8 seconds.
So impressive was her time that Hedy trounced two former male Olympians: Bana Sailani, who failed to finish, and the Tokyo Olympian Rolando Landrito of the Philippine Air Force (6:17.0 hrs.). She was also way ahead of 31 year old long distance swimmer Ricardo Cuenca (5:43.2 hrs.) who would set an endurance record of 47 hrs. swimming from Nasugbu to Manila Bay in 1969.
Hedy. who stands only 5 feet 2.5 inches tall, was an
amateur swimmer from Far Eastern University. She was born on 8 Feb. 1950 in
Pakil, to a sports-loving family. Her fantastic Laguna feat was just part of
her intensive training that led her to improve her times---and a slot in the
Philippine swimming team. Less than a year later, she was sent to the 1966
Asian Games from Bangkok, and won a team Silver, by placing second in the 4 x
100 m. Medley relay swim team that included Rosalina Abreu, Helen Elliott, and
Gertrudes Lozada.
By the time the Olympic year came along, Hedy was the holder of 8 Philippine bests in 100 m., 200 m. backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly records, The breaststroke and the individual medley became her specialties.
She went on to qualify for a place in the Philippine Olympic swimming team--the youngest member at 18-- that competed in the 1968 Mexico Olympics. The talented swimmer swam in four events: 100 m. free (7th in her heat), 200 m. breaststroke (4th), and both the 200 m. (3rd) and 400 m. individual medley (7th).
Hedy made it as well to her 2nd Asian Games, and returned to Bangkok, Thailand in 1970 to claim a team Bronze Medal in the 4 x 100 m. Medley relay event, along with Luz Arzaga, Susan Papa, and Luz Laciste.
SOURCES:
Benjamin Afuang, Photos by Ben Santos, “The Long Swim
Across Laguna Lake”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 9 January 1966 issue, 24-27.
Olympedia, https://www.olympedia.org/lists/114/manual?page=6
Philippines at the 1966 Asian Games, Wikimedia.com
Philippines at the 1970 Asian Games, Wikimedia.com
