Batang Pinoy: No easing up for Cebu bets

MAASIN CITY, Leyte—Already groaning under the weight of its gold medal haul, runaway champion Cebu City picked up some more in lawn tennis, volleyball, sepak takraw and boxing yesterday at the close of the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Olympic Committee Batang Pinoy Visayas leg here.

The Cebuanos, fielding a delegation of 168 athletes that was second only to the 213 of the host city, delivered six more golds to finish with 71 overall on top  52 silver and 25 bronze medals in a massive show of force that began right on opening day.

Young Cebu pugs Jefre Jiminez and Marvin Pumar triumphed on points in the kiddie weight and mosquito weight division, respectively before a large and loudly cheering crowd at Maasin City bus terminal.

Cebu City also scored in sepak takraw regu competition after beating Matalom, Leyte and Southern Leyte, which wound up second and third at Combado gym.

Also at Combado, Cebu City claimed the boys’ team gold in lawn tennis through Jan Godfrey Señor, Christopher Encarnacion, and Jermaine Carl Laurel, aside from the girls singles victory by Jana Pages.

But Tacloban emerged champion in the girls’ team event courtesy of Nathalie Vien Devaras, Ellah Mae Espina and Ma. Delrose Duran.

In volleyball at St. Joseph College gym, Cebu City’s boys’ team outlasted Ormoc City, 25-12, 25-16, 23-25, 17-25, 18-16, for the gold. Mandaue ruled the girls’ side following a thrilling 25-15, 24-26, 25-23, 23-25, 16-14 triumph over Ormoc City.

Fueling Cebu’s impressive drive was its 26-gold medal harvest in swimming competitions that was held in Tacloban City. University of Cebu stalwart 14-year-old Karen Mae Indaya led that charge with six golds along with other multiple gold winners like Michael Ichiro Kong, Justine Reign Garrido and Tara Kyla Ebon.

It was only Bohol Province which managed to grab a substantial piece of the swimming medal pie with 21 gold through its own battery of young swimmers led by Rian Marco Tirol who snared five gold medals.

But Cebu City didn’t stop there and picked up 20 golds in karatedo. It also won nine in athletics, four in chess, five in taekwondo and five in weightlifting.

Bacolod City, which will host the national finals, won two golds in boxing through Joseph Novero Jr., in antweight, and Rudel Peruelo in light mosquitoweight. It also bagged five golds in athletics and three in swimming.