TAGUM CITY—Shy and reticent, Moira Frances Erediano can now afford to walk in a confident manner after pocketing another gold medal in a different sport.
But if you think those extraordinary feats in cycling and triathlon were enough, you’ll be surprised that the 12-year-old from Lapu-Lapu City isn’t done yet.
Today’s duathlon will again feature Erediano, who ruled the girls’ 11-12 triathlon with a 24:19 clocking Monday in the Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy Championships here.
“I just told her to do her best, focus on her clocking and not worry about her opponents,” said Fritz Erediano, Moira’s father.
Erediano defeated Alison Noble of San Fernando, La Union (25:34), and Cebu’s Jeanna Mariel Canete (27:00) in the swim-bike-run test of endurance for a golden double following her victory in criterium cycling on Sunday.
The Grade 6 pupil from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu is also in the hunt for gold medals in today’s road race and tomorrow’s individual time trial events in cycling.
Another Cebuana pulled off another surprise act in triathlon when Karen Manayon dethroned three-time champion Nicole Eijansantos of Quezon City in the girls’ 14-15 age bracket.
Lagging behind the favorites in the swim and bike, the 14-year-old from Talisay City Science High School peeled off the pack in the run stretch to cross the line in 40:16.
Everly Janirie Macalalad of Muntinlupa completed the 400-meter run, 12-kilometer bike and 3k run four seconds after Manayon and Eijansantos, who paced the swim and bike segments, bagged the bronze, 33 seconds back.
“I wasn’t expecting this. Both of them (Macalalad and Eijansantos) are strong triathletes,” said Manayon, who had a pair of bronze medals in criterium cycling.
There were also several double-gold medalists in archery and pencak silat with archers Jemuelle Espiritu of Baguio City and Neo-Jene Daciego of La Union striking two golds each in the qualification and Olympic rounds of the boys and girls yeoman events.
Zamboangeños Alessandra Bernardo (girls’ 7-11), Tyron Bernardo (boys’ 11-14) and Hannah Leano (girls’ 11-14) joined the bandwagon by topping their tunggal events in pencak and spearheading Zamboanga City to the regu team gold in their age group. Noreen Bendano of Zamboanga City contributed another win in the tunggal girls’ 14-17 division.
Overall, Zamboanga City is leading the field with nine gold and two silver medals while Baguio City and Aklan picked up three golds each followed by La Union and Koronadal City with two golds.
Over at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex, Raymund Lopez of Agusan del Sur struck the first gold in athletics after clocking 17:06.80 in the boys’ 16-17 5000m run to defeat Jonathan Pulido of Dasmarinas City, Cavite (17:11).
Other gold performers on the track were Francis James San Gabriel of Pangasinan (2000m walk boys’ 16-17) and Rose Bok of Naga City (2000m walk girls 16-17), Trexie Dela Torre of Negros Occidental (long jump girls’ 13-15) and Jin Iron Tabuena of Aklan (boys’ shot put).
Winners in the mountain bike races were Jasper Caisip of General Santos and Davao City’s Mario Buro, Myra Regina Acedo and Richard Handomon.