Tankers fuel NCR charge

CEBU CITY—With its swimmers and sprint queen fueling the charge, National Capital Region got its title retention campaign off to a blistering start yesterday in  the Milo Little Olympics at Cebu City Sports Center here.

Tankers Catherine Bondad and Imee Joyce Saavedra fished out two individual gold medals at the pool, matching the output of Judy Ann Rendora on the track as the Big City bets flexed their muscles in the two medal-rich events of the meet.

Out to reclaim the title after watching its three-year reign of the event end in Marikina last year, Visayas also made its presence felt with seven golds in athletics and crucial opening-day victories in the ballgames.

After a perfect seven-for-seven effort in the Palarong Pambansa in Dumaguete City early this year, all eyes were on Bondad to deliver for NCR.

The 14-year-old, who is already setting her sights on a stint in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, did not disappoint with early victories in the secondary girls’ 400-meter freestyle and the 100m backstroke as NCR collected 207 points through 20 events in swimming.

Saavedra, a standout from Diliman Preparatory School, reigned supreme in the elementary girls’ 200m free, before ruling the 50m breaststroke race.

Rendora, who studies at Dasmariñas National High School, emerged the fastest in the secondary girls’ 100m sprint, clocking 12.5 seconds to nip Elrica Guro of Team Visayas (12.78) and NCR’s Celestina De Castro (12.83).

Under the sweltering heat, she returned to the track a few hours later and ruled the 100m hurdles in 15.26 seconds.

Kevin Capangpangan of Mindanao earned the distinction as the first gold medalist of the meet, after topping the secondary boys’ 5000m run.

Also ruling their respective events for NCR in elementary swimming were Franco Garcia (boys’ 200m free), Alekseis de Leon (girls’ 100m back) and the girls’ 200m medley relay squad.

The other winners for NCR in secondary swimming were Brandon Sing (boys’ 100m back), Portia Doragos (girls’ 200m breast), Steven Tiu (boys’ 200m breast) and Suzzane Himor (girls’ 200m butterfly).

Team Visayas struck hard in athletics through victories by Rensel Rosales (secondary girls’ shotput), Joseph Berdin (elementary boys’ shotput), Antonio Octaviano (elementary boys’ 100m), Kit Vincent Pelletero (secondary boys’ 100m), Pearl Abellar (elementary girls’ 100m) Gleizel Pelayre (100m hurdles) and Katherine Pelletero (elementary girls’ long jump).

Visayas drubbed NCR, 69-21, in elementary boys’ basketball.