Minda athlete grabs 1st Prisaa games gold

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Sonny Wagdi, a second year criminology student at the University of Mindanao, snatched the first gold medal in athletics at the start of the Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) National Games here on Tuesday.

The 18-year-old Wagdi, son of a teacher from Agusan del Sur, clocked 15 minutes and 46.9 seconds in the 5,000-meter run, propelling Davao to a hot start at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center.

“I paced myself … it was long distance. I just had to strategize,” said Wagdoz, who finished two seconds clear of teammate Anthony Nerza (15:48.9).

Central Visayas’ Ernesto Ybañez captured the men’s long jump title with a 7.01-meter effort, while Western Visayas’ Devy Isaac ruled the women’s javelin throw with her initial throw of 33.20m.

Davao’s Adrian Linao threw the spear to 50.92m to top the men’s javelin and give his region a two-gold haul in athletics.

Host Ilocos region also made its presence felt when Debby Habon, 21, an education student of Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation, clinched the women’s long jump title with a 5.23m effort, edging Cordillera’s Marla Felice Ellaga (5.23m) and Calabarzon’s Regine Ganidlon (4.95m).

Calabarzon athletes also delivered as Rizal Jun Jurado, Jerome Magallanes, Jaydee Rose Dalay and John Henry Calma topped their respective events at the start of swimming competition in Dagupan City.

Jurado clocked 2:10.74 minutes to rule the men’s 200m freestyle, Magallanes topped the men’s 100m breaststroke in 1:12.59, while Dalay ruled the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:26.94. Calma triumphed in men’s 200m butterfly.

The other swimming gold medalists were Central Luzon’s Vince Philip Peña (boys 200m freestyle, 2:16.62) and Anna Patricia Nuque (girls 100m breaststroke, 1:32.67), Western Visayas’ Maria Rudette Casidsid (girls’ 200m freestyle, 2:33.27), Casy Raybac Gumabong (boys 100m breaststroke, 1:18.90), and Chris Roel Guillergan (boys 200m butterfly, 2:38.65) and Central Visayas’ Lorendale Echavez (women’s 200m freestyle).  Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon