By Jean Malanum/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Iloilo City swept the girls division while La Carlota, Negros Occidental ruled the boys division in the tennis competition of the Philippine Youth Games – Batang Pinoy (PYG-BP) Visayas qualifying leg held at the La Paz Tennis Court here on Saturday.
Althea Rose Martirez won the girls’ singles event over top seed Tiffany Clare Nocos of Cebu City, 6-2, 6-7 (7), 6-2. She teamed up with Maria Patrina Abigail Aguirre to beat Cj Thalia Suson and Nocos, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 10-7. The Ilonggos also won the team event over La Carlota, 2-1.
In the boys division, No. 1 Khenz Nber Justiniani outplayed Randy Tatoy of Dumaguete City, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, in the singles event; Justiniani and Joshua Raymundo prevailed over Nikhel Nowlakha and Jeff Jimenea, 6-2, 6-4; while La Carlota beat Maasin City, Leyte, 2-0, in the team event.
Counting the medals in tennis, Iloilo has won a total of 57 gold in the week-long tournament organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for children 15 years old and below.
Iloilo City Sports Development Division head Moises Salomon Jr. said he is happy the city emerged as the overall champion in the Visayas leg for the first time.
“We have a very good sports program here,” said Salomon. “I am optimistic that our athletes will succeed in the National Finals. We have the edge because we will use the sports equipment that the PSC will give us.”
Iloilo City dominated pencak silat, winning 12 golds coming from Krystal May Alcarioto (girls 61-64kg), Jillian Faith Sudaro (girls 58-61kg), John Israel Factularin (boys 46-48kg), Vanessa May Viado (girls 43-46kg), Lloyd Marti Seguiban (boys 43-46kg) and Joseph Marvin Tacapan (boys 40-43kg) in the Tanding pre-teenager division.
Other winners were Airelle Loreto (girls 63-67kg) and Kimberly Maure (girls 71-75kg) in the Tanding teenager category; Ella May Baldevarona (girls) and Scyros Malcolm Gardose (boys) in the Tunggal teenager event; Gardose and Welmar Tajapal (Ganda teenager boys); and Tajapal, Patrick Peter Tabladillo and Ymhan Lei Alminaza (Regu teenager boys).
Cebu City, which placed second overall with 42 golds, 55 silvers and 63 bronzes, won the girls beach volleyball event over Pontevedra, 25-23, 21-23 and 15-7.
Cebu Province finished third with 38 golds, 38 silvers and 52 bronzes followed by Negros Occidental (30-18-17), Lapu Lapu City (28-14-25), Bacolod City (23-27-35), Mandaue City (22-21-31), Dumaguete City (19-23-15), Ormoc City (12-15-14) and Aklan Province (12-18-7).
Bacolod City defeated Cebu City, 9-3, in the girls Under-15 softball final at the Central Philippines University gym. It also won the boys Under-15 basketball title while Iloilo City won the girls title at the Iloilo Sports Complex covered court.
In futsal, Sagay City (Negros Occidental) defeated Pontevedra (Negros Occidental), 7-6, in the boys Under-15 final at the West Visayas State University field.
In other final results, San Carlos City (Negros Occidental) outplayed Cebu Province, 2-1, in the girls Under-15 event while Negros Occidental took the gold in the boys Under-13 event.
Last year, Cebu City topped the Visayas leg hosted by Dumaguete City with 46 golds, 59 silvers and 69 bronzes.
Dumaguete City finished second with 41 golds, 29 silvers and 44 bronzes while Bacolod City placed third with 29 golds, 23 silvers and 20 bronzes.
Meanwhile, the Luzon qualifying leg is scheduled on March 16 to 23 in Ilagan City, Isabela.
