Image courtesy of www.sports.abs-cbn.com
Source: www.sports.abs-cbn.com
At a very young age, Filipino-American Clark Kent Apuada is already living up to his name.
Ten-year old Apuada broke a 23-year old record previously held by Michael Phelps when the former competed in the 10-and-under age group of the Far West International Championship in California.
The aptly-nicknamed 'Superman', who swims for the Monterey County Aquatic Team, clocked in at 1:09:38 in the 100-meter freestyle, more than a second faster than the 1:10.48 set by the American sporting legend in 1995.
The Filipino-American elementary school pupil went on to win six more events in the duration of the meet.
Phelps eventually went on to win 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold in the course of five Olympic Games.
It's never too early to dream as the 10-year old has already set his sights for the Olympic Games, hoping to be one of the best someday.
Apuada started swimming at four but had just been into competitive swimming since he was six.
"I love swimming because I have a lot of people supporting me and my coaches are always there for me and my parents are always there," Clark said in a story posted on CNN.
Dia Rianda, Clark's coach, said in the same article: "This kid is unlike any other young man that I've ever coached. He's always stood out, he's just, he's kind of a savant of sorts."
Cynthia Apuada, the boy's mother, said in a story posted on Huffington Post that she was drawn to the name Clark and that her husband's favorite superhero is Superman. That's how the young Apuada's name came to be.
“We’re always just telling people his name is Clark,” Cynthia said. “But when they realize his full name, people just call him Superman.”
Could we see the best Filipino-blooded swimmer since Teofilo Yldefonso, who revolutionized the sport in the 1920's?
Eh si Clark Kent yan noh! Mahirap taluhin si Super Boy hwehwehwe
ReplyDeleteHindi na naman nakakagulat yun dahil mga dugong mandaragat tayo. Naglalakad nga sa ilalim ng tubig mga Badjao sa Mindanao at Palawan. Mga man from Atlantis. Pag nalaman pa ng LAHAT kung ano talaga lahi natin na itinago hindi yung Pilipino na pangalang alipin na sinaksak ng relihiyon ni Satanas na Romano Katoliko na dinala ng Roman Empire Spain!
DeleteAyan nanaman o...dahil porket may dugong "Pilipino" aangkinin nanaman ng mga Pilipino ang credit at paiiralin again yang "Filipino Pride" kahit hindi nya naman nirerepresent PH. Just give credit to where it belongs and that is to this child, his coaches, and family. Not to the Filipino people just because.
Delete@2:50 hahahaha..lol..
DeleteWow! But if he goes on to play in the Olympics, Philippines ba yung irepresent niya? Parang sa US na ata to lumaki at nagtrain eh. So team USA sya.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you Think? He is American.
Delete5:58 Pasalamat ka binanggit pa na fil-am sya.
DeleteThey have Olympic tryouts sa USA so if he doesn't qualify there eh di Proud Pinoy na siya!
DeleteHe will be representing USA for sure. At mas better training equipments in the US.
DeleteMichael Chang (tennis player) played for the USA kahit Chinese sya.
DeleteMichelle Kwan (figure skater) as well. At hindi nagcredit grabbing ang mga kalahi nila!
US and irerepresent nya.
Delete3:01– Yung Philippine based articles lang ang nagdagdag ng “FiL-Am” sa headline. Pag na basa mo yung mga headline outside the Philippines, walang binanggit na “Fil-Am”. So there you go. Dinagdag lang yan ng mga editor para basahin at i-click ng Filipino readers. Otherwise, Hindi naman
Deletepapansinin ng nakakarami kung regular headline lang diba?
napanuod ko nga to. ang galing nya idol nya si michael phelps na sa same competion din nag start at ginusto talaga nya ma talo yun record ng idol nya 😁
ReplyDeleteThe real superman.
ReplyDeleteClark Kent hahaha kaya pala naman eh! Future Superman!
ReplyDeleteThe kid is American. American. His ethnicity has nothing to do with his win. Let’s stop doing this credit grabbing mentality — it’s not a good look. Nakakahiya!
ReplyDeleteThis!
DeleteThis 👆🏼 If he was raised here he probably would not have gotten the support & the coaching he needed.
DeleteExactly! US training is totally different from Philippine training. Not even close.
DeleteVery true! At last may nagsabi din.
DeleteExactly! Korek! True!!!
DeleteTrue, he represts the USA, not Pinas.
DeleteAbangan kung tatangkad siya. Kung pandak yan, bale wala rin. Kailangan rin ang height na matangkad sa swimming para maging Olympic level champion.
DeleteExactly! Kahit siguro 1/10000000 ang Pinoy blood, basta may achievement 'May Dugong Pinoy 'Yan'. Hindi nga yatagumastos ang gobyerno natin sa mga naging achievements nila tapos mang-aangkin tayo.
Deletetama! fil-am ek ek na naman. as if naman may naitulong ang pinas sa pagtrain sa kanya para makuha ang record. sana next time wag na ihihhlight na may dugong pinoy unless sa kanya nanggaling na may dugong pinoy sya di ba?
DeleteI hope this boy make it to the Olympics someday. And sana tumangkad pa siya when he swims in the elite level because in competitive swimming, height and body proportions really matter.
ReplyDeleteRelax lang mga fellow filipinos, he's only probably representing his swim club now not any country yet.
DeleteAgree, ngayon bata pa medyo same same pa ang height ng mga bata pero pag kick in ng teenage years magkakahiwalayan na ng height. But at least if he represents the philippines kkung hindi siya maqualify sa US he can do well sa sea games or asean games
Delete3:12 he is only 10 but alrrady aiming to represent the US in the Olympics. Kaya nga sana umabot ng 6 feet ang height nya.
DeleteSuperman, indeed! Olympic medalist in the making! Painumin ng maraming gatas para tumaas!
ReplyDeleteProud to be Pinoy. Makakahakot na tayo ng madaming gold sa Olympic
ReplyDeleteNaku! Malamang hindi Philippine flag dalhin nyan
DeleteI dont think so. He will swim for the US team if ever. So di pa rin nya dala ang bandila ng Pilipinas.
DeleteOnly if puberty is kind to him and genetics won't betray him. He needs to grow tall and bulk up to be in the same league as Phelps. With his Filipino genes, baka nasa 5"10 lang max height nya.
DeleteBata na po ang nagsabi-- he dreams to represent the US at the Olympics. American po sya
Delete“Proud to be Pinoy” ka because..... you are riding the coat tails of someone who hasn’t even mentioned being Pinoy in the interview? Filipino journalists keep on feeding readers with this misplaced #pinoypride mentality. Bakit Hindi ka na na lAng maging proud to be you, possibly a decent, respectful, hardworking human being? Why does your pride have to depend on someone else’s success?
DeleteHindi lang Superman... Aquaman pa ang pinagmanahan!!!
ReplyDeleteI watched his CBS and ABC News interviews on youtube and this boy's mindset and determination is pretty impressive. Keep it up kiddo!
ReplyDeletewow galing! congrats and keep it up!
ReplyDeleteeto na naman tayo sa fil-am ek ek. basta lang may maangkin no? pero b4 naman yan im sure wapakels kayo dyan hahaha....
ReplyDeleteAyan na nman ung mga proud pinoy lols
ReplyDeleteWhat is wrong with being proud of this boy? And even more kasi half pinoy? At least positive vibes. Yung iba dyan e namimintas lang ng iba, negatron. Mind your own business and stop being too critical of others. Feeling perfect lang?
DeleteDude, it's not being nega. The kid's talent doesn't depends on his ethnicity. It is more on his own talent and determination. Besides hindi nga nakatira sa pinas, Hindi gobyerno ng pinas nag support sa kanya pero marami "proud to be pinoy." He ain't even representing pinas kung makaangkin ang iba.
DeleteAnon 2:12- There is absolutely nothing
Deletewrong with feeling proud. What irks a lot is the accompanying #pinoypride, because it places the success of the individual with that of being Filipino. We all know it is NOT the race that makes people successful, but commitment to working hard. Feeling positive about ones success is great. However. attributint it to race and claiming heritage without the person himself mentioning it are simply annoying.
eeek. wrong! no credit grabbing. you know what gives good vibes? It's when he trained hard and never stopped to get where he is but sadly what matters to you is THE pride and not the kid's work ethic.
Delete2:12, there is nothing wrong if everyone says that they are proud of this boy.
DeleteIt is different when other people say that they have Pinoy pride becauae of this boy.
See the difference?
Part of the reason he does well is that there are opportunities for him to compete in bigger events and hire competent coaches/trainers. He has funding options. I hope our government also adequately funds our own athletes pero parang puro basketball lang napupunta funds and sponsorships dito eh.
ReplyDelete