Big Donaire fan claims Davao City’s lone boxing gold

TAGUM CITY—Davao City’s Junmilardo Ogayre has an odd choice for a boxing hero considering that most fight fans his age idolize international superstar Manny Pacquiao.

“I like Nonito Donaire better. I want to become like him someday,” said Ogayre, who simulated the power and timing of the “Filipino Flash” in capturing the gold medal in the junior boys’ lightweight division at the Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy Championships here.

The 17-year-old Criminology major from University of Mindanao used a heavy right hand to punish Zamboanga del Sur’s Jerald with blows to the head in their finals bout at Tagum Trade Center.

But while the majority of the medal winners are dreaming of making it to the national team someday, Ogayre said he will try his luck in the professional ranks.

“National team? Maybe. But I prefer to fight in the pros,” said Ogayre, who claimed Davao City’s lone gold in the sport dominated by fighters from Cagayan de Oro and General Santos City.

Sixth among eight siblings, Ogayre started hitting the mitts when he was nine. His latest achievement followed his victory in the same weight class in the Mindanao Cup and Davao Region Athletic Association tournament.

Cagayan de Oro grabbed five gold medals through light pinweight John Vincent Pangga and junior light flyweight Marco John Rementizo and female boxers Gina Casin (48 kg), Marty Ann Laug (38 kg) and Jolibeth Maglasang (40 kg).

Pinweight Criz Russu Laurente, light bantamweight RV Denega, female boxers Angela Bianca Laurente (54 kg) and Roxan Kapawan (57 kg) scored for General Santos City, where Senator Pacquiao started his boxing career.

Whiz kid Daniel Quizon nailed his third gold medal in chess after scoring six points in the boys’ 12-under rapid event. The 12-year-old from Dasmariñas City, Cavite, earlier prevailed in the blitz and standard events.

Action shifts to the Rizal Memorial Sports Center in Manila today with gymnastics parading talented athletes 17 years old and younger from the countryside in the tournament that will end on Dec. 11. Competitions in wushu get going on Monday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Living up to its reputation as the hotbed of dancesport, Cebu City scooped up eight gold medals in the contests held at the Rotary Park Gym.

Andrew Ysla and Noelyn Mie Pedrano snared a pair of golds in the standard youth A and Latin youth A while Lloyd Simon Asuque and Raylyn Jhea Romeo prevailed in the standard junior C and Latin junior C events.

Jake Emmanuel Corro and Anndreah Kiem Capangpangan (latin junior A), Gylle Diluvio and Julia Paz Branzuela (standard junior A), Jaydel Fresh Pat and Angel Therese Epe (latin juvenile A) and Jim Jocson and Mitchloni Dinauanano (standard juvenile A) completed Cebu’s victorious romp in the sport.

Surigao Del Norte’s Michael Lisondra, Marvin Escamillan, Nonoy Jumar, Ricardo Goring and Jayford Edradan toppled Davao City in the regu event of sepak takraw, an achievement replicated by Mati City in the girls’ event.

Cebu City topped the boys’ 3×3 basketball with a 17-15 win over a pesky Zamboanga City trio, but the Cebuanos failed to make it a golden double when their girls’ squad fell to Davao City, 20-16, before a huge crowd at Rotary Gym.