Ateneo HS swimmer Aldo Batungbacal wins 5 medals for NCR at Palarong Pambansa 2013
Swimming for Team NCR, incoming Ateneo de Manila High School senior Alberto "Aldo" Batungbacal of 4C 2014 won a total of five medals in five secondary swimming events at Palarong Pambansa 2013. Of these five, four were golds: 100m breaststroke, 200m breastroke, 200m individual medley, and 400m freestyle. Aldo's other medal was a silver for the 4 x 50m medley relay. With a final medal tally of 114 golds, 111 silvers, and 54 bronzes, Team NCR was the overall champion of Palarong Pambansa 2013, the ninth straight year it has finished at the top among the Philippines' 17 competing regions. Palarong Pambansa 2013 was held from April 21-27 at Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, and participated in by more than 10,000 student athletes, teachers, and trainors.
Aldo Batungbacal's medal tally at Palaro 2013 was nearly double his haul at Palaro 2012, where he won two golds (for the 100m breaststroke and 200m breaststroke) and one silver (for the 200m individual medley). Aldo, who will begin his senior year at the Ateneo High School (AHS) in June 2013, is one of the most accomplished members of the AHS swim team. During his freshman year at the AHS, he won the coveted Rookie of the Year award at the UAAP Season 73 Swimming Championship held in late September, 2010. Last September 27 - 30, at the UAAP Season 75 Swimming Championship, he won six gold medals, helping the team win an unprecedented eight-peat in junior boys swimming. Last February 20, 2013, he was given the St. John de Brebeuf Award for Most Outstanding Athlete (MOA) in swimming at the Ateneo High School's annual recognition day ceremony.
