Sanchez pulls out of Women's 100m back, focuses on specialty event

c/o POC/PSC Media

It’s all about the 50m dash! The Philippine coaching staff officially scratched Olympian Kayla Sanchez from the Women's 100m Backstroke, giving her a Did Not Start (DNS) to prioritize her physical recovery for her strongest event.

National coach Ryan Arabejo revealed that they are controlling all the variables they can to give Sanchez the absolute best shot at gold.

"Dun tayo sa kaya nating ma-control. So, if we can rest Kayla and prepare her better for tomorrow’s 50 meters where she has a very, very good chance of winning a gold, we gave her a rest," he shared, noting she was also pulled from relay duties to maximize her rest.

Reflecting on her incredibly close 4th-place finish in the 100m Free, Arabejo praised her aggressiveness: "She took the risk and went harder in the beginning... naunahan lang sa very last stroke, so we move on to the next."

Now fully rested, Sanchez is gearing up for a fiery 50m showdown. 

"Ang 50, anything goes dyan... It’s anybody’s game," Arabejo warned.