Anton Ignacio Wins in the Jet Ski Olympics; Sets Sights on the 2025 SEA Games

A little bashful but all smiles, 18-year-old Anton Ignacio faced the media at the Privon Bistro Lounge together with the Ignacio Racing team a few days ago to share how he
carved his path to another triumph this 2024.

For the uninformed, he was able to win the prestigious SBT-International Jet Sports Boating (IJSBT) World Jet Ski Finals which
happened this month at the Lake Havasu, Arizona, USA.

Dubbed as the “Olympics of Jet Ski Racing”, Anton had to compete with more than 300 athletes from above 70 countries to emerge victorious. Ignacio placed first in the Pro-Am
Runabout 1100 Stock, one of the primary divisions of the competition. He’s a runner-up at the Expert Runabout 1100 Stock at Naturally Aspirated and fourth place at the
Amateur Runabout 1100 Stock.

Flanking Anton during his homecoming press conference were his parents Bombet and Joyce Ignacio, as well the Jetski Association of the Philippines President Harley David,
and Vice President Paul del Rosario.

His dad shared how Anton cried when he was just 11 or 12 years old when first told to ride the newly bought jet ski at their Calapan, Mindoro resort. “Umiiyak…kako,
magswi-swimming na lang daw siya. Takot siya mag-ride ng jet ski kasi pagka-ano, baka bilisan ko raw,” shared Bombet. Joyce narrated how all Anton’s cousins would rush to
try riding the jet ski while Anton would just stand back.

“Riding it for the first time, I was super scared because like my dad said, I just want to swim in the swimming pool. Eventually, during that week, when I was able to go to
the island by myself, that’s when I started to feel like maybe I could race,” said Anton.

Last December, Anton clinched the win at the SBT WGP-1 International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) World Finals, becoming the Novice Runabout 1100 Stock category
champion at tender age of 17. This did not just leave the impression that the Philippines is a country to be reckoned with in the jet ski arena, but also made Anton the
youngest Pinoy title holder in the 42-year history of the competition. The young jet ski racer, as confirmed by his fatehr Bombet Ignacio, actually bagged his first
championship when he’s just 13 years of age.

Anton is set to compete at the WGP#1 Waterjet World Cup on December 11-15 2024. This will take place at Pattaya City, Thailand. He is also gearing up for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.