Fil-Canadian swimmer certified to represent PH in Paris Olympics IOC
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 1) — The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has certified two-time Olympic medallist Kayla Sanchez, a swimmer who switched federations from Canada to the Philippines, to bear the latter’s flag for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino announced that the IOC has granted the country’s request to waive the three-year residency rule that covers athletes who switch nationalities.
“This is good news for Philippine swimming as we won’t have to wait two more years for her to be able to represent our country in the Olympics,” said Tolentino in a statement.
Sanchez was part of Canada’s silver medal-clinching women’s 4×100 meters women’s relay team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 22-year-old is also a two-time world silver medalist brought by her performance at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.
Tagged as one of Canada’s top swimmers, she switched citizenship in June last year and swam for the Philippines at the Hangzhou Asian Games in September where she unfortunately missed a podium finish.
Before migrating to Canada, the swimmer was born in Singapore to Filipino parents with her father originally from Pampanga and mother from Baguio City.
The IOC sent copies of their letter to World Aquatics and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Sanchez could qualify for the Paris games through individual qualification, relay qualification, or universality.
