OROQUIETA City, Misamis Occidental — Davao del Norte garnered 11 gold medals with six silvers and eight bronzes as of Thursday (March 8) for the over-all solo lead in the on-going Batang Pinoy Mindanao Games.
Batang Pinoy (Filipino youth) is the Philippines’ national youth sports competition for athletes under 15 years old, both students and out-of-school.
Koronadal City is currently second with nine golds, eight silvers, and six bronzes, followed by Davao City (6-3-0), South Cotabato (5-6-7), General Santos City (5-4-10), Dipolog City (5-2-1), Zamboanga City (5-0-5), Cotabato Province (3-2-2), Bukidnon (2-11-5), Sto. Tomas (2-2-1), Hagonoy (2-1-0), Cagayan de Oro (1-0-2), Panabo (1-0-1), Kidapawan (1-0-0), Iligan (0-6-1), Tawi-Tawi (0-2-3), Plaridel (0-1-1), Samal Island (0-1-0), Mati (0-1-0), Pagadian (0-0-1), and Sindangan (0-0-1).
Davao del Norte captured six golds in swimming at the Misamis Occidental Provincial Athletic Complex (MOPAC).
Twelve-year-old Mary Grace Batalla won two golds by ruling the Girls 12 & Under in 100m butterfly and 200m backstroke. Batalla clocked 1:16.19 to win the 100m butterfly. She was followed by Bukidnon’s Mayca Milabo (1:18.76) and Zamboanga City’s Danielle Filoteo (1:27.28).
Batalla topped the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:50.59, followed by her own teammate Almarie Battad (2:52.50) and Milabo (3:03.71).
The other golds in swimming were bagged by Ahbsaer Saggap (Girls 12 & Under 100m butterfly), Cassandra Yumi Bagarra (Girls 13-15 400m individual medley), Selwyn Rex Cinamay (Boys 13-15 200m backstroke), and Ronel Gerard Cucharo (Boys 12 & Under 200m backstroke).
Davao del Norte also took four silvers and three bronzes from the pool.
The other gold medalists in swimming were Davao City’s Erron Seth Vibar (Boys 13-15 400m IM), Gensan’s Thea Diane Canda (Girls 12 & Under 400m IM), Francisco Cordero (Boys 12 & Under 50m breaststroke); Cotabato Province’s Angela Mikaela Talosig (Girls 12 & Under 50m breaststroke), Dipolog’s Azbren Jan Dayappadan (Boys 13-15 50m breaststroke), and Leano Vince Dalman (Boys 12 & Under 100m butterfly); Koronadal’s Trixia Nicole Paloma (Girls 13-15 200m backstroke), Panabo’s Bernice Arabelle Elesterio (Girls 13-15 50m breaststroke); Zamboanga City’s Austin John Hampac (Boys 13-15 100m butterfly); and Bukidnon’s Jindsy Azze Dasion (Girls 13-15 100m butterfly).
Davao del Norte also won a gold medal Thursday in the Girls long jump, courtesy of Hazel Arellano (5.01).
Davao City’s Erminda Albino (4.93) and Zamboanga City’s Rea Claire Cristobal (4.79) settled for the silver and bronze, respectively.
Andrea Annabela De Guia and Sharon Gay Marcojos, however, both gave golds for Davao City in athletics. De Guia ruled the Girls 13-15 in the 3000m run with a time of 11.4, followed by Sto. Tomas’ Mariafe Basong (12.1) and Pagadian’s Desiree Belarmino (12.3).
Marcojos topped the Girls 13-15 in the 2000m walk at 12’33, followed by South Cotabato’s Nekie Hope Cabangal (13’12) and Sto. Tomas’ Rojean Gonzales (13’16).
For the Boys 13-15 2000m walk, hitting first place was South Cotabato’s Peter Lachia (12.34); second was Mohannad Macarampat of Iligan (12.38), while Koronadal’s John Lloyd Adlawan hooked third (14.12).
For Girls 13-15 shotput, Febie Joy Mancera of Hagonoy reached first place (9.16); at second was Ayril Antonia Saucejo of Mati (8.52); third was Rosemarie Calunod of Plaridel (8.29). (Lito Delos Reyes/PNA)
