Camsur thrower nets first BP gold

BAGUIO CITY—Camarines Sur’s Mary Grace Joson opened the 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships on Monday with the Games’ first gold medal at Baguio City National High School oval.

Joson, a 15-year-old ninth grader of CamSur Sports Academy, ruled the girls’ discus throw after a 26.87-meter heave on her second attempt.

Joson qualified here after finishing third in the Luzon leg held in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, late last year.

Janine Ledina of Zambales province (26.64m) settled for silver while Althea Guadalupe of General Santos City took home the bronze (26.54m).

Four tankers also made their presence felt after scooping two gold medals each—Laguna’s Roz Ciaralene Encarnacion (girls’ 12-under 200m individual medley and 50m breaststroke), Lucena’s Markus Johannees De Kam (boys’ 12-U 100m freestyle and 50m backstroke) and Mervien Jules Mirandilla (boys’ 13-15 100m free and 100m butterfly) and Quezon City’s Althea Michel Baluyot (girls’ 13-15 100m free and 100m fly).