The BISP Sea Eagles Parent Advanced Masters Squad has soared to new heights this month, delivering standout performances that will be remembered as some of the finest in the team’s history. This incredible journey is a testament to their dedication, courage, and the power of believing in themselves to push beyond limits.

November 16th : Laguna Phuket Open Water Swim by Trihub

In the picturesque waters of Phuket’s Laguna, Yury Shabunin, Denis Ladnev, and Aleksei Yakovlev took on the 4.5km Open Water Relay. Each swimmer tackled a challenging 1.5km circuit which led 550m into the open sea, around open water buoys horizontal for 350m and 600m back to Laguna’s Beachfront, where they ran back out to pass on their open water swim buoy and timer ankle band in a strategically perfectly executed manner.

The team displayed remarkable strength and teamwork, finishing in a stunning 2nd place with a total time of 1:27:02.

For years, the top team, Homa of Z-Coaching, has been untouchable—but our BISP team challenged their dominance, cutting the gap significantly. This is more than just a podium finish; it’s a bold statement about what determination, training and the thirst to take on new challenges can achieve.

November 17th : Laguna Phuket Sprint Triathlon

The very next day, our Parent Masters Squad proved their versatility by diving into the Sprint Distance Triathlon. 

Our triathletes —Harvey Davis, Dmitry Konstantinov, and former squad member James Hewison, as well as our swimmer turned triathlete for the very first time, Denis Ladnev—shined in a race designed to test every ounce of their endurance, strategy and willpower. 

In sweltering heat, the race began with a 500m swim, where Denis, James, and Harvey exited the water within 9 to 9.5 minutes—a very fast split in the field. For Harvey, a goal he has been working on with determination throughout the term was not only achieved, but crushed, when he swam in under 10 minutes for the very first time in his triathlon career. On the 20km bike race, James and Harvey worked together, pushing each other through every kilometer, when on the 6km run James took it to the next level, charging ahead to an incredible finish. 

Here are the results of their fabulous race:

* James Hewison: 15th overall, 4th in age group (1:23:00)

* Harvey Davis: 29th overall, 4th in age group (1:27:00)

* Denis Ladnev: 42nd overall, 9th in age group (1:30:00)

* Dmitry Konstantinov: 121st overall, 5th in age group

November 23rd-24th: Thai Masters National Shortcourse Championships (Bangkok)

The grand finale: our first-ever team appearance at not just a swim meet, but a National Stage—the Thai Masters National Shortcourse Championships. 

The Parent Masters Advanced Swim Squad left their mark at Bangkok’s Assumption University Aquatic Center, where 8 Swimmers, namingly Novia Chan, Aleksei Iakovlev, Christine Joshua, Denis Ladnev, Elger Mensonides, Yury Shabunin, Elena Sheshegova (thank you for documenting the event with so many fantastic photos) and Tamsin Wiebe – who we’d like to expand a special thank you to for first planting the idea in our heads and always thriving for more, swam in various races from explosive 25m sprints, to middle distance 200m races and masterly executed Freestyle and Medley relays throughout a tough 2 days.

The squad delivered a performance that can only be described as legendary. 

Competing as a masters swim team for the first time in BISP history, they showcased not only individual brilliance but also the power of unity. 

This was no ordinary swim meet—it was a masterclass in resilience, with every participant proving that determination, the thirst for new exciting challenges, setting goals and setting out to keep crushing them and showing confidence and grit can take you beyond what you thought possible. 

Here’s what they achieved:

* 26 medals in total – 8x Gold, 7x Silver, 7x Bronze

* 6x Top10 Ranking as Age Group Medalist (Tamsin 3rd , Novia 7th, Elger & Elena 10th, Victoria & Jana 1st)

* 5 National Age Group Records 

* 2 Championship Records

This milestone is a reflection of what’s been built over time—a belief in pushing past comfort zones, trying the unexpected, and rising to challenges together. The journey of this squad, setting standards, inspiring others, and redefining what’s possible is nothing short of extraordinary. This legacy is one of teamwork, resilience, and the drive to achieve greatness in and out of the pool.

We are incredibly proud of how the BISP Sea Eagles Parent Advanced Masters Squad has evolved and grown over the past five years. Congratulations to every swimmer who contributed to these remarkable moments—you’ve made history, and we’re looking forward to many more of your top tier events!