BATANG PINOY: Laguna bets dominate finals

NAGA CITY—Triathletes Gabriel Allen Santiago and Jessica Salazar captured the first gold medals of the meet even as swimmers Catherine Bondad and Ariana Herranz cruised to three victories each as Batang Pinoy 2011 went full blast Saturday in and around the Metro Naga Sports Complex here.

The 15-year-old Santiago, a senior high at Letran, braved the rainy conditions to rule the boys’ division in the 250-meter swim, 5-kilometer bike and 1.2K run in 19 minutes, four seconds. First-timer Salazar, 14 and a sophomore at University of Perpetual Help-Laguna, topped the girls’ side in 22:24.

“I wasn’t thinking of the time because of the wet and slippery roads,” said Santiago, already a member of the developmental pool, who previously timed 20 minutes flat.

In the day’s busiest competition, Bondad and Herranz accounted for six of Laguna’s 10 swim gold medals.

Bondad, the 13-year-old Palarong Pambansa multititled swimmer, copped the golds in the girls’ 12-13 200-meter freestyle, 100m backstroke and 50m free.

Herranz, who studies at Trace College, ruled the girls’ 14-15 200-meter freestyle and 100m back before powering the Laguna relay team to the 200m medley gold along with Sofia Beatrice Guanio, Martina Ricci Borce and Joanna Coleen Simbulan.

PSC marketing chief Albert Almendralejo said the most outstanding athlete here will be sent to London for a grant plus tickets to watch the Olympic Games next year. He said they are getting sponsors for five more successful athletes to join the program.