Rian Marco Tirol of Ateneo de Manila University continues to dominate breaststroke swimming in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), holding five of six records across junior and senior divisions, the university announced.
Tirol, who established three junior records in 2018, has added two senior marks to his collection, most recently setting the 50-meter breaststroke record of 28.77 seconds and the 100-meter mark of 1:04.12 in 2024.
His 2018 junior record in the 50-meter breaststroke—30.04 seconds—was matched this year by teammate Miguel Luis Martines, marking the first time another swimmer has reached Tirol’s standard in that event.
The swimmer’s six-year span of record-setting performances underscores the strength of Ateneo’s swimming program, which competes under Ateneo FAST moniker. His only unconquered breaststroke record remains the 200-meter senior event, held since 2018 by fellow Blue Tanker Alberto Batungbakal at 2:21.75.
The UAAP, established in 1938, is the premier collegiate athletic association in the Philippines, comprising eight Metro Manila universities.
Competition is divided into juniors (high school) and seniors (college) divisions across multiple sports.
Ateneo de Manila University, a private Jesuit institution founded in 1859, is one of the country’s most prestigious universities and has historically fielded competitive swimming teams in UAAP competition. The university’s aquatics program has produced multiple national-level swimmers and UAAP champions across various stroke disciplines.
Breaststroke records in the UAAP are contested across three distances: 50 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters, in both junior and senior categories.