ACHIEVEMENTS

Asian Games

• 1954 Manila 100 m freestyle – Gold

• 1954 Manila 100 m butterfly – Gold

• 1958 Tokyo 4 × 100 m medley relay – Gold

• 1954 Manila 4 × 100 m freestyle relay – Silver

• 1958 Tokyo 100 m freestyle – Silver

• 1958 Tokyo 200 m freestyle – Silver

• 1958 Tokyo 4 × 100 m freestyle relay – Silver

• 1962 Jakarta 4 × 100 m freestyle relay – Silver

• 1962 Jakarta 100 m freestyle – Bronze

• 1962 Jakarta 4 × 100 m medley relay – Bronze

Hall of Fame

• 2016 – Philippine Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

BIOGRAPHY

Born on August 28, 1937, Asia’s Swim Queen Haydée Coloso-Espino trail-blazed the country’s women representation in the local and international swimming scene.

At a young age of 16, Coloso-Espino quickly became known in her sports after bagging two gold medals and a lone silver at the 1954 Asian Games held in the country.

Her reign went on for the succeeding editions of the continental multi-sporting event in 1958 Tokyo and the 1962 Jakarta Asiads — being known for her majestic swimming performance in the butterfly and freestyle events.

With a total of ten medals with 3 golds, 5 silvers, and 2 bronzes on her resume, Coloso-Espino holds the record for the most number of medals won by a Filipino athlete, male or female, in the Asian Games.

After her early exit in her first Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956, Haydée returned in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome as the country’s representative in the women’s 100m freestyle event. With a gallant stand, this served as her last Olympic stint, before concluding her swimming legacy on a successful note in the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games.

To commemorate her achievements, she was bestowed by the Philippine Sportswriters Association as Woman Swimmer of the Year for three consecutive years in 1953, 1954 and 1955.

She was inducted into the second batch of the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.