Pangasinan tracksters, QC swimmers make waves

IBA, Zambales—Ludivico dela Cruz Jr. captured two of six athletics gold medals Pangasinan nailed at the Zambales Sports Complex yesterday even as Quezon City upstaged Manila in their heated swimming rivalry at the 2013 Batang Pinoy Luzon qualifying leg here.

Dela Cruz, the reigning champion in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles from Umingan, Pangasinan, dominated his favorite event by clocking 15.3 seconds, then returned to win the 400m dash in 53.7.

Also winning for Pangasinan were Marvin Manuel (1,500m), Carl Angelo Cunanan (2,000m walk), Urdaneta’s Mark Conrad Manipon (javelin) and Keith Marjo Quilo (high jump).

Palarong Pambansa champion Maurice Sacho Ilustre grabbed his second gold for Manila in the boys’ 13-15 200m butterfly but Quezon City ended the day with six victories to pace the pool event.

Ilustre, the 200m fly and 800m freestyle winner in this year’s Palaro, timed 2 minutes 20.02 seconds to best Miguel Antonio Arellano of QC (2:22.27) and Rizal’s Yuri Ilustre (2:23.41) a day after topping the 400m free.

Kirsen Chloe Daos, Akiva Jose Carino and Joshua Taleon led QC’s assault by nailing their second victories.

Daos, already the 400m free winner, dominated the 13-15 200m fly.

Taleon ruled the boys’ 13-15 50m breaststroke after a rare dead-heat with Laguna’s Jasper Casino in 32.44 seconds, and later joined forces with Patrick Galvez, Keane Cedric Ting and Carino in the winning 200m medley relay quartet.

Phillip Joaquin Yu-Santos (11-12 200m fly) and Raissa Gavino (13-15 50m breast) capped QC’s golden  haul.

Pangasinan also took four karatedo golds through Clint Veloso (boys’ advance kata -30kg), John Enrico Vasquez (advance kata -40kg), Narayana Mesina (-44kg) and the team of Gilbert Arellano, Ren Bistudio and Abigail Brito.

Pampanga grabbed the spotlight in dancesport with Darrel James Cruz and Kate Danielle Borja collecting a pair of golds in junior A and C latin, and Joelito Esguerra and Channel Anne Salvador winning the junior D latin.

In chess, Shania Mae Mendoza of Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, ruled the girls’ rapid with 5.5 points while Israelito Rilloraza of Las Piñas wound up unbeaten after six rounds in the boys’ division.

Weightlifters Sumi Magallanes of Manila (32kg) and John Paulo Rivera Jr. of Dasmariñas (38kg) ruled their weight classes and made it to the national finals of the talent search program for athletes 15 and younger next month in Bacolod.

Other track and field winners: Monica Louise Andaya of Taguig (400m), NCR’s Gianeli Gatinga (long jump), Taguig’s Mirasol Amarga (1500m) and Lean Tahala of Baguio City

Other karatedo winners: Oriental Mindoro’s Daniel Kawaen (girls’ novice open), Zenra Katheryn Kawaen (girls’ advance -45kg) and Cris Harold Kawaen (boys’ intermediate open), Claire Jane Cayone of Bacoor (girls’ intermediate kata open), Jaime Villegas of Cainta (boys’ advance -44kg), QC’s Alexander Lay (boys’ advance +53kg) and Manila’s Jackielyn Samson (girls’ advance +45kg).100m hurdles).