Haroon Cali became the first Filipino to claim a top podium finish in the men’s 30-39 division at the Ultraoceanman 25 km event in Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
The veteran Filipino swimming coach finished fifth overall in the men’s individual category, with Rachapov Rishat of Kazakhstan (5:33:32.50, men’s 20-29) placing first, followed by Volpi Laura of Italy (5:49:44.65, women’s 50-59), Amar Alain of France (6:08:28.83, men’s 40-49), and Adilkhanov Madi of Kazakhstan (6:34:15.84, men’s 20-29).
Cali, originally from Davao, admitted he almost didn’t expect to compete due to his visa arriving late. Despite the challenge, he proudly shared his excitement at securing a spot for the Philippines in the prestigious international event.
He shared with The Filipino Times that he is always seeking out challenging swimming events. “As a veteran swimmer and coach, I want to challenge myself to swim long distances in deep open water. I know it is hard but mas nakaka-challenge knowing that very few Filipinos are interested in this kind of competition,” he said.
Cali said that he needed to have consistent daily training. “I trained twice a day for almost a month. I prepared my food and drinks before the race, including energy bars and gels, electrolytes, and water, to be consumed during the competition. I also prayed a lot,” Cali said.
When it comes to future swimming events or competitions he wanted to participate in, he said, “I intend to compete in the 30 km open water swimming event next year or the year after.”
This marks the second consecutive year that Palermo, Italy, has hosted the Ultraoceanman, an international open-water swimming event for athletes and enthusiasts alike.
The 25 km race began at Sicily’s picturesque Marina di Costa Rossa port in Pozzillo and concluded at the beautiful L’Ombelico del Mondo beach in Mondello.
The competition saw 33 athletes participate, including two inspiring Paralympic swimmers, Giacomo di Santo and Enrico Giacomin, who demonstrated remarkable endurance and determination in the challenging waters.
