Rian Marco Tirol
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 swim
championship is underway at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. The Ateneo de
Manila University (ADMU) swim team is showing its dominance in the pool, led by its
team captain and MBA student Rian Marco Tirol.
Tirol, who is on his second year as the leader of the Blue Eagles, has already
bagged two gold medals in the seniors division. He won the 50-meter breaststroke
event by resetting the record twice. He broke the season’s first individual senior
UAAP record during the preliminary session with a time of 29.23 seconds, erasing
the 5 year old record (29.62) of fellow Atenean Alfonso Bautista. He returned to the
pool in the afternoon final to crush his own record by clocking an impressive 29.10,
the fastest time registered by a local swimmer in the entire country. He also willed
his teamates to win the tightly contested 4×100-meter freestyle relay by registering a
time of 3:38.46 seconds beating the De La Salle University team that clocked
3:39.10.
Tirol, who started swimming at the age of six, said that he is motivated by his
passion for the sport and his desire to bring glory to his school.
“I love swimming because it challenges me to push myself beyond my limits. I also
want to inspire my teammates and the younger generation of swimmers to excel in
their craft and to be proud of being Ateneans,” he said in an interview.
Tirol is not only a star athlete, but also a stellar student. He was a consistent dean’s
lister in his undergraduate studies and is now currently pursuing his Master of
Business Administration degree at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. He said
that he balances his time between his studies and his training by being disciplined
and organized.
“It’s not easy to juggle both, but I have learned to prioritize my tasks and to manage
my energy. I also have the support of my family, friends, coaches, and professors
who help me along the way,” he said.
Tirol is aiming to win more medals for Ateneo in the remaining events of the swim
championship, which will end on November 28. He is confident that his team will
emerge as the overall champion for the eight consecutive year.
“We have trained hard and prepared well for this season. We have a strong and
cohesive team that works together and supports each other. We are ready to give
our best and to uphold the Ateneo spirit,” he said.