INQUIRER Sports

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY?Powerhouse National Capital Region on Wednesday cracked the dominance of Western Visayas in athletics through the sons of former national team standouts in the 2008 Palarong Pambansa here.

And the NCR juggernaut continued in swimming as the delegation from the Big City, which captured 11 of the 16 events held Tuesday, picked up six more golds highlighted by another Dorothy Hong record feat in the secondary girls? 100-meter backstroke.

Isidro del Prado Jr., Jose Renato Unso and Justin Tabunda recalled the exploits of their illustrious fathers by accounting for three of the five golds NCR produced for the day after yielding the spotlight to Western Visayas in the first two days.

Isidro Jr. flashed the old finishing kick of his father, gobbling up his opponents in the final 100 meters to rule the 800m for secondary boys in one minute, 57.6 seconds.

Unso, a hurdles expert like his father Renato, topped the 400 hurdles for secondary boys in 56.4 while Tabunda showed the same old long distance talent of father Justo in ruling the secondary boys? 5,000 meters in 16:27.07.

Ruffa Bargola ruled the 100m (12.9) for secondary girls and Maureen Schrijver won the same event in the elementary girls? section (13.0) as NCR outshone West Visayas which could only get three athletics? golds for the day.

All three Western Visayas golds came in the secondary division courtesy of Josie Malacao (girls? 800m), Vienna Mae Banebane (girls? 400m hurdles) and Roger Denalo (boys? 3,000m steeplechase).

As lead swimmer of NCR?s victorious 4x100m medley relay squad, Hong wiped out the decade-old mark of former national team mainstay Lizza Danila in Bacolod City in 1998.

Hong clocked one minute and 7.94 seconds to erase Danila?s record of 1:08.00.

Although Hong?s time was set in a relay, tournament manager Richard Luna said the clocking was credited as a record since she was the first swimmer of the event.

Hong was also part of the 4x50m medley team with Hannah Dato, Edlyn Son and Carmina Quilala, which set a new record in the event Tuesday.

NCR?s Jose Gio Palencia also won his second gold in the elementary boys? 100m free in 1:02.11.

Other gold medalists for NCR were Frances May Cabrera in the elementary girls 100m free (1:07.72), the elementary boys 4x100m medley team of Fahad Alkhaldi, Jose Gio Palencia, Vincent Edrick Dee and Dunn Clarke Vinluan (4:53.75), the elementary girls 4x100m medley quartet of Denice Hong, Patricia Manuel, Ma. Kristina Bartolome and Frances May Cabrera (5:12.82), and the secondary boys 4x100m medley team of Gian Berino, Gabriel Catelo, Kevin Lua and Timothy Yap (4:19.59).

Del Prado, a senior high school from San Sebastian College who was introduced to the sport by his father, a former Gintong Alay star, only last year, will compete in the 400m on Thursday and in the 200m, 4x100 relay and 4x400 on Friday.

Del Prado will have his hands full in the 200m against Central Visayas? Lindley Fran Navaja, who will try to complete a sprint double after dominating the 100m for secondary boys for the second year in a row in 11.02.

Ilocos finally snatched an athletics gold after Venjay Lacondazo ruled the elementary boys? long jump.

NCR also grabbed two golds in badminton.

Overall, NCR hiked its golden collection to 17 in swimming with 28 more golds at stake in the last two days of competition.

Other gold medalists for NCR during the first day of swimming competitions Tuesday were Denice Veronica Hong in the 100m back elementary girls (1:17.27) and 50m fly (33.39), Dorothy Hong in the 100m back (1:08.58), Palencia in the 50m fly elementary boys (29.82) and Patricia Yam in the 200m fly (2:30.77).