Loterte bags 5 golds as UST tops Luzon athletics
Michelle Loterte crowned herself queen of the track after scooping five gold medals in the Luzon qualifying leg of the 2015 POC-PSC Philippine National Games.
A bronze medalist in the 2014 Asean University Games held in Palembang, Loterte capped her dominance in the women’s 200-meter dash, clocking 26.75 seconds and finishing a few meters ahead of her closest rivals.
The hurdler from the University of Santo Tomas also grabbed gold medals earlier in the women’s 400m and 110m hurdles, triple jump and the 4x100m relay where she anchored her school’s golden bid.
“It feels good, but I hope to win them again in the finals,’’ said Loterte, who placed third in the 400m hurdles during the Palembang meet.
Gold and silver medalists in the three qualifying legs of these Games will punch tickets to the national finals tentatively scheduled in Pangasinan February next year.
Celina Mae Revalde of UP crossed the line in 28.50 seconds for the silver and Jessica Bautista of Team PLDT got the bronze in 28.69 seconds on a rainy Monday at the Philsports track and field oval.
UST tracksters actually cornered 19 golds in athletics with Paula Bardaje (girls’ 400m hurdles), Judy Almasa (girls’ long jump), Karen Janairio (girls’ 200m), Aries Toledo (men’s 100m), Jay Nieles (boys’ 200m) and Jhanine Mansueto (girls’ 5000m) bringing home the mints.
Double-gold performers Louielyn Pamatian (girls’ 400m and 1500m), Riza Faith Sombilla (women’s javelin and shotput) also contributed to the school’s cause.
Other winners in athletics were Lyceum’s Jojo Bermudo (triple jump), Johnfrey Opendo of Baguio City (400m hurdles), Manuel Lasangue Jr. (high jump) and Far Eeastern University’s Jomar Angus (1500m).
At the Makati Coliseum, John Paul Mocorro and Mary Joy Dumosmog gave Cebuanos something to be proud of in dancesport after claiming the gold in the Youth C Latin event while the pair of Mico Ayan Canlas and Jannie Anne Marie Perez from Pampanga prevailed in the Youth B Latin.
The gold in the Youth C Standard went to Cejrich Daniel Del Rosario and Israela Joana Aliermo after the tandem from Manila subdued Quezon City’s Alanis John Dailisan and Anne Bernadette Albia.
In cycling, Irish Wong won the 10-kilometer individual time trial for 20 years old and below with a time of 28 minutes and 39 seconds on the fast and slippery roads of Pililla, Rizal.
Ana Patricia Maximo placed second (29:58) and Toni Krog, adjudged as the best young rider for women, got the bronze in 30 minutes and 42 seconds.
Rider Jay Lampawog ruled men’s under-20 ITT race in 20:38 while Daniel Van Carino topped the other 10km race against the clock for 15-17 years old in 20 minutes and 52 seconds.
Zamboanga City came through with victories in wrestling as Rodnie Martin pocketed three golds, Jonathan Maquilan won two and Jonnel Horquita had one (39kg freestyle) on the mat.
Martin asserted his prowess in the 46kg freestyle, 42kg and 46kg Greco Roman events while Maquilan dominated the opposition in the 61kg freestyle and 59kg Greco Roman.
Archers Mary Queen Ybanez and Brian Monteverde of La Union won the junior recurve title at the Sevilla Archery Range in Novaliches, Quezon City and joined Baguio’s Loren Chloe Balaoing and James Matthew Quilalan (open recurve) on the podium of the mixed team competition.
The trio of Lhanz Bandong, Noriel Antonio and Karl Ivan Lee from Pasig City ruled the men’s team junior recurve to duplicate the feat of Paolo Miguel Divino, John Philip Santiago and Syd Nerickson Fraginal in the open recurve.
