CEBU CITY -- Cebu City collected eight gold medals on Wednesday to fortify its position at the helm after four days of action in the Philippine National Games at the Cebu City Sports Center here.
Cebu City won three gold medals in athletics, two in archery, and one gold each in swimming, karatedo, and table tennis on the fourth day of the competition to remain on top of the medal standings with 28 gold, 27 silver, and 28 bronze medals.
Baguio City occupied the second spot with 17 golds, 24 silvers, and 18 bronzes, followed by Mandaluyong City with 13 golds, seven silvers, and seven bronze medals.
General Santos City came in fourth with 12 golds, 16 silvers, and 20 bronze medals, while Mandaue City took fifth place with 12 golds, six silvers, and six bronzes.
Leading Cebu City’s gold medal harvest on Wednesday was trackster Melody Perez, who dominated the senior women’s 30,000-meter steeplechase event.
Perez finished the steeplechase in 12:33.34 for the gold with Sandi Abahan of Baguio City (12:55.58) and Karla Cosep of Lapu-Lapu City (15:38.22) settling for the silver and bronze, respectively.
Cebu City also won the gold in the junior boys 4x100m relay and junior girls triple jump. The quartet of Seth Abram Pilapil, Jan Menard Ayade, John Paul Apilan, and John Marvin Rafols conquered the relay competition in 44.31 seconds, while Jhuvan Jhen Baculot recorded the best triple jump at 11.05 meters.
Khalil Justine Abella came out victorious in archery’s recurve junior men singles 72 arrows event and also steered the recurve junior men’s team as well to victory.
Abella scored 577 points to win the singles 72 arrows contest, while his teammate Christian Caresosa clinched the silver with 574 points and Justine Ronato of Gen. Santos settled for the bronze with 568 notches.
Cebu City captured the gold in the recurve junior men’s team event with 1,684 points, courtesy of Abella, Caresosa, and Nino Maandig. Finishing second to Cebu City was Baguio City with 1,556 points, while Zamboanga City took the bronze with 1,410.
Karateka Orencio James delos Santos grabbed the gold in the seniors individual men’s kata with Mark Andrew Manantan of Dagupan City taking the silver. Cebu City’s Warlito Pontero and Argie Batiancila of Manadaluyong City shared third place.
The duo of Glendo Nayre and Stephen Jaca captured the gold for Cebu City at Robinson’s Galleria, where they dominated the men’s doubles table tennis tournament.
Vincent Molier Salera and Mark Louise Gapol of Talisay City and the tandem of Ronald Donaire and Randie Sagolili of Gen. Santos settled for the silver and bronze, respectively.
In swimming, the quartet of Karen Mae Indaya, Justine Reign Garrido, Razel Cabajar, and Lindsay Anne Gonzalez topped the girls’ 200-meter 4x50 medley relay.
The Cebu City teenybopper swimmers clocked the event in 2:20.12, six seconds ahead of closest pursuer Cagayan de Oro City (2:26.60) and 22 ticks off swimming powerhouse Gen. Santos City (2:42.98).
Camilo Russel Owen La Torre of Gen. Santos and Sta. Rosa City’s Nicole Meah Pamintuan both brought their gold medal collection to five in the PNG swimming competition.
La Torre reigned supreme in the boys 200m freestyle and butterfly events to clinch half of Gen. Santos’ 10 total gold medal haul, while Pamintuan ruled the girls 200m freestyle to score her fifth victory in the games.
General Santos dominated the swimming events with 10 golds, five silvers, and five bronzes and followed by Sta. Rosa with five gilts, all courtesy of the 18-year-old Pamintuan.
Cebu City came in third with four golds, seven silvers, and four bronze medals, while Davao City fashioned out a 4-1-1 gold-silver-bronze tally for fourth place. (PNA)
