Swimming sensation Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh was the unanimous choice of the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) as its “Athlete of the Month” for the month of February.

Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh

Mojdeh, the top swimmer of the Philippine Swimming League (PSL) in the girls 11-12 division, made the country proud when she bagged eight gold medals and set seven meet records in the Beijing All-Star Swimming Championships held at the Water Cube in Beijing last month. The 12-year-old student of Immaculate Heart of Mary College, topped the 200-meter fly (2:17.89), 200m individual medley (2:25.68), 200m breaststroke (2:43.51), 100m butterfly (1:04.67), 100m IM (1:09.85), 50m butterfly (29.41) and 50m breaststroke (36:13), all meet records.

Her eighth gold came from the girl’s 11-12 division 100m breaststroke (1.17.77).

“Jasmine’s success in swimming at her young age is truly exceptional. Last month, she did us proud again with her gold-medal haul in Beijing,” said TOPS president Ed Andaya of People’s Tonight.

Mojdeh became only the second recipient of the monthly accolade from TOPS following world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who was also the unanimous choice for January.

The other outstanding athletes who were considered for the February honors were boxers Carl Jammes “Wonder Boy” Martin, Dave Penalosa and Vic Saludar and archer Naina Dominique Tagle of Dumaguete.

Martin retained his WBA Asia bantamweight championship with a third-round victory over Petchchorhae Kokietgym of Thailand at the SM City North EDSA Skydome last Feb. 16.

On the same night, Penalosa scored a technical knockout win against Marcos Cardenas of Mexico to capture the WBO Oriental featherweight title.

Saludar outpointed Japanese southpaw Masataka Taniguchi to win the WBO minimumweight belt by unanimous decision (117-111 twice, 118-110) in Tokyo, Japan last Feb. 20.

Tagle emerged as the winningest athlete with seven gold medals in archery in the recent Batang Pinoy Visayas leg in Iloilo City.

Interestingly, both Mojdeh and Martin have guested in past TOPS’ “Usapang Sports” at the National Press Club. TOPS is composed of sports editors, reporters and photographers of the country’s leading tabloids.

Tags: Manny Pacquiao , Masataka Taniguchi , Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh , Philippine sports , Philippine Swimming , Philippine Swimming League , Tabloid Organization , TOPS , Usapang Sports