Batang Pinoy: Archers Cootuaco, Mendoza nail gold

MANILA, Philippines—Archer Julius Victorio Cootuaco brought his winning act to the Southern Luzon qualifier of the 2011 Batang Pinoy Games which kicked off Saturday at the rain-soaked Laguna Sports Complex in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

The reigning Palarong Pambansa and Philippine National Games champion clinched the gold in the boys’ double Fita round after compiling 498 points, beating his Daet, Camarines Norte, teammate John Owen Obias, who wound with 454 points.

Laguna’s Michael Manalang copped the bronze medal with 415 points.

“I won this event in the Palaro and PNG but I tried not to be overconfident,” said the 15-year-old Cootuaco, a new member of the national team under the tutelage of former South Korean national coach Choi Won-tae.

Cootuaco, who goes to Chong Hwa High School with Obias, was gunning for another gold medal in the boys’ Olympic round late Sunday.

Maria Mendoza, a high school junior from De La Salle Canlubang, shared the podium with Cootuaco after snaring the girls’ double Fita gold in an all-Laguna finale.

A triathlete and swimmer on the side, Mendoza scored 358 points to beat Jenny Mendoza (242) and Faith Dumicon (231) in the opening competitions of the four-day event organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and sponsored by Smart, Maynilad and Summit Natural Drinking Water.

“I got interested [in the sport] because my brothers and sisters are also into archery,” said Mendoza. “Winning a medal was a bonus.”

Except for archery, centerpiece athletics and other outdoor hostilities didn’t push through as scheduled due to continuous rains.

Track and field events were reset for today even as action in badminton, table tennis and boxing fires off along with the eliminations in chess and 3-on-3 basketball.

Laguna Gov. ER Ejercito cited the role of the Batang Pinoy in discovering future talents and developing sports in the country during the opening ceremony of the games supported by Milo, Jollibee, the British Council, Standard Insurance, Manila Bulletin, Negros Navigation-Super Ferry, Kids 3 Food Supplement, RELIV Now for Kids and Growee Multivitamins.

A total of 23 local government units sent participants to the fifth qualifying leg of the games where gold and silver medalists advance to the national finals in Naga City on Dec. 10 to 13.