ILOCOS NORTE – What started as a shared exercise together with his older brother was a ardour for Titus Sia, who’s now the most decorated male athlete in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa.
The 12-year-old Sia shared he solely began swimming when he was round 4 years outdated, becoming a member of his brother Chace within the latter’s swimming classes as a method to deal with the challenges of delicate autism.
Sia went on to compete in a number of tournaments each weekend, however can be pressured to take a pause for greater than two years as a result of pandemic. Finally, when the brand new regular started, his mom Hyacinth helped him be part of a swim membership at Xavier College to proceed his coaching.
That marked the beginning of his aggressive journey.
“Kasi ‘yung older brother ko particular and ‘yung mama ko determined to make him do swimming in order that after every swim lesson he’ll be much less hyper. She let me joined it and I discovered pleasure and I saved swimming after that,” Sia stated after sweeping all of his seven occasions on this 12 months’s Palaro in Ilocos Norte.
“5 or 4 (years outdated ako nag-start) however I finished for 3 years due to pandemic. Solely after the pandemic did I begin doing aggressive.”
Niño Sia, his father, admitted that they had let Titus attempt different sports activities like basketball, however the latter opted to go along with swimming and shared seeing him do it together with his older brother is one thing particular, hoping they encourage others too.
“‘Yung older brother niya ay below the spectrum of delicate autism,” Niño shared.
“Kasi ang mga SPED or particular they need water para ma-release ‘yung extra power nila so nu’ng bata siya (older brother) pinapa-swim namin and should private coach na pumupunta. Finally, dahil steady ‘yung trainng ng older brother niya, pina-swim na rin si Titus para kahit papaano ay could like ability.”
Figuring out how his son began out, Niño was simply speechless he carried out at Palaro.
The youthful Sia broke three information to rule the 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle, and 400m occasions. He additionally emerged on high in 100m freestyle, 4x50m medley relay, 50m backstroke, and 4x50m freestyle relay.
“Hindi rin namin ine-expect na magkakaganito siya, na mananalo sa mga large occasions katulad nitong Palaro. Coming from a bronze final 12 months, then now na tatlong recods tapos seven out of seven ‘yung gold. Speechless din ako,” Niño added.
“Si Titus, mabait naman siya. By no means siya nag-complain, kumbaga gustong-gusto niya ‘yung strain.”
Titus is about to return to main motion in October when he sees motion in Batang Pinoy in Basic Santos Metropolis.
—JKC, GMA Built-in Information