NO WARM-UP, NO PROBLEM

With no warmup, Ma-ao dominates ISAAL for podium finishes

| Jalile Estuesta
Photos edited by Elijah Jardinez

It didn’t matter if Zam Ma-ao never had time to warm up at the 3rd ISAAL Swimming Competition 2026.

Despite no time to loosen up before the competition, Ma-ao set a new personal best, finishing gold in both 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, bronze in 50-meter breaststroke, and recognition as the most outstanding swimmer at the Markina Sports Complex on January 24.

Ma-ao finished with 40.73 seconds in the 50-meter breaststroke, 1:20.30 minutes in 100-meter freestyle, and 34.82 seconds in the 50-meter freestyle for multiple podium finishes in the tournament.

Despite his success in the pool, Ma-ao shared that he didn’t get the chance to warm up with the other swimmers before the game started.

“I didn’t get to do the pool warm-up because I arrived late due to the heavy traffic while I was on my way to the venue.” 

This caused Ma-ao to finish on the podium at the 50-meter butterfly after falling short of a second away with 35.66 seconds, while the bronze medalist finished at 34.14 seconds.

After the setback, Ma-ao reset his mindset to race his own time, not just his opponents.

“Swimming is no a race to see the fastest and compete with swimmers beside you, it’s about competing your own lane, it’s you versus yourself to attain the higher you, you need to beat your past self and time to be greater than yourself and not for others, as it is for the higher calling, I don’t race to win the fight, but I race to Give Glory from up above, to Him be the adoration forever and ever.”