Favored PNG bets prevail as expected

MANILA, Philippines — Swimmer Hannah Dato pocketed three gold medals, lady cue artist Rubilen Amit ruled women’s 9-ball and weightlifter Nestor Colonia broke three national records Wednesday in the PSC-POC Philippine National Games.

Dato, 19, prevailed in the 200-meter freestyle, 400m individual medley and 50m butterfly where she came close to breaking her own national record with a 29.63-second swim.

The incoming BS Psychology sophomore from Ateneo de Manila topped the 400 IM in 5:09.49 to beat Precilla Loren Aquino of La Union (5:33.29).

Under sunny skies at Rizal Memorial swimming pool, Dato beat Catherine Bondad of San Pablo City in the 200m free with a clocking of 2:09.90. Bondad settled for silver (2:14.58).

Amit, the reigning women’s 10-ball world champion, subdued Iris Rañola, 9-3, in the 9-ball finals. The 2013 Southeast Asian Games 10-ball gold medalist demolished 14-year-old Cheska Centeno, 9-2, in the semifinals.

Over at Marikina Riverbanks, Colonia won three golds after erasing his own national marks in the snatch, clean and jerk and total lift in a strong bid to make it to  the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, in September.

Colonia lifted 118 kilograms in the snatch, 153 kg in the clean and jerk for a 271 kg total that wiped out the record (116-148-264) he set in the PNG held in Dumaguete in 2012.