NCR’s Patricia Mae Santor stands as Palaro’s most bemedalled with swimming sweep

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Philippines – Over 100 student-athletes won multiple gold medals in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa, but no one dominated quite like National Capital Region swimmer Patricia Mae Santor. 

Santor completed a golden sweep in all her seven events and emerged as the most bemedalled athlete of this edition for a fitting Palaro exit before she moves on to the collegiate ranks. 

The UST High School standout ruled in the 400m individual medley, 50m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 100m butterfly, and was part of the winning team in the 4x50m medley relay and 4x100m medley relay.

On top of those seven golds, Santor also set three new Palaro records.

After teaming up with Sophia Rose Garra, Krystal Ava David, and Nichole Rivera for a record-breaking swim in the 4x50m medley relay, Santor set a new Palaro mark on her own with a time of 28.98 seconds in the 50m butterfly, eclipsing the previous record of 29.06 seconds established by NCR’s Camille Lauren Buico in 2019. 

Santor’s other record came in the 4x100m medley relay, which she shared with Garra, David, and Reiko Philomena Uy. 

Having struggled with personal issues and lack of motivation over the past couple of years, Santor said she is pleased to have stayed the course. 

“I bounced back and I’m glad that I pushed myself since this is my last year,” said Santor, who will continue representing UST at the UAAP seniors level, in a mix of Filipino and English. 

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After Santor, eight athletes each bagged six golds: Bicol’s Riley Maddaleign Alindogan (elementary girls’ swimming), Calabarzon’s Charles Nathan Boneo (elementary boys’ swimming), Davao Region’s Josef Marco Costoy, Luane Grace Cuamag, Eliju Joseph Darvin, and Yanie Mae Chan (elementary dancesport), and Zamboanga Peninsula’s Athea Aisel Conte and Bret Marcial (secondary dancesport). 

Boneo and Alindogan missed out on joining Santor’s company as they each settled for silver in one of their relay events. 

Central Visayas’ Aziz Jayden Diaz (elementary boys’ artistic gymnastics), NCR’s Jamesray Ajido (secondary boys’ swimming), and Soccsksargen’s Arrexandra Franco (elementary girls’ aerobic gymnastics) also shone with five golds each. – Rappler.com