INQUIRER Sports

MANILA--The National Capital Region picked up a few more gold medals in ballgames Saturday to complete an awesome performance in the Commission on Higher Education 2010 National Games at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

After throwing their weight around in the swimming pool and track and field, the Big City athletes also extended their dominance in basketball, chess, badminton, baseball, women?s softball and table tennis.

There were no awards given to the overall champion as organizers put more emphasis on discovering individual talents rather than regional competitions.

Just the same, NCR collected 162 golds, 42 silvers and 40 bronzes in the week-long event, leaving the competition by a mile. Region 6 (Western Visayas) came up with a 40-66-54 haul to place second, while Region 7 (Central Visayas) was third with a 33-42-34 tally.

Region 4A (Calabarzon) finished fourth with 25-37-46.

Ched chair Emmanuel Angeles said he will endorse the outstanding athletes for inclusion to the national pool which was guaranteed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Trackster Serenata Saluan and swimmers Claire Adorna and Carla Grabador of NCR head the prized finds as they put in multiple gold medal performances.

Saluan even surpassed two UAAP record (800m and 1,500m) in stringing four golds including 3,000m and 4x400m relay. Adorna was seven-for-seven in her events, while Grabador had six golds from the pool.

NCR scooped most of its golds in swimming with 55, and track and field with 31.

Powered by NCAA defending champ San Sebastian, NCR crushed Region 11?s Ateneo de Davao, 99-83, to sweep its way to the men?s basketball gold. In the women?s side, NCR (Lyceum) routed Central Visayas (University of San Carlos), 71-51, for the championship.

NCR also bagged four of seven golds in table tennis, swept the men?s and women?s chess titles with four gold medals each. It also snared all eight golds in badminton.