Lucena, Laguna swimmers strike gold; Yulo, Castillo go on gymnastics romp
BAGUIO CITY—Lucena City took the spotlight in the three-day swimming competitions of the 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships after harvesting 13 golds, four silvers and one bronze medal.
Mervien Jules Mirandilla spearheaded the squad with four gold medals after topping the boys 13-15 200m fly (2:13.12), 100m freestyle (58.38), 100m fly (59.92) and 50m fly (27.27), while teammate Markus Johanne De Kam contributed three golds in boys 12-under 100m free (59.11), 50m back (32.27) and 200m free (2:10.03).
Laguna province came in second with 13 golds, two silvers and six bronzes courtesy of four gold medals from Roz Encarnacion in the girls 12-under 200m individual medley (2:40.97), 50m breast (37.33), 200m breast (2:55.02) and 100m breast (1:19.70), while Quezon City finished third with 10 golds, four silver and two bronzes—four golds coming from Zoe Hilario in the girls 13-15 200m free (2:17.73), 400m IM (5:44.26), 200m backstroke (2:31.67) and 200m IM (2:38.57).
Gymnastics
At Baguio City National High School gym, Karl Jahrel Eldrew Yulo swept the men’s artistic gymnastics with seven gold medals in the Class 1 division.
Yulo, a 10-year-old Grade 5 student of Aurora Quezon Elementary School, won in the floor exercise (9.10 points), vault (9.55), pommel horse (9.70), parallel bars (9.10), rings (9.15), horizontal bar (9.50) and individual all-around (56.10).
Pasig City’s Rhendz John Castillo, meanwhile, ruled the Class 2 division by scooping four gold medals in pommel horse (9.3), rings (8.75), horizontal bar (9.45) and individual all-around (54.55).
In karatedo, Cebu province pocketed four gold medals courtesy of Rome Metante (14-15 cadet boys advanced kata), Elenna Benitez (14-15 cadet girls intermediate kata), Janine Narboada (10-11 girls advanced kata) and Precious Avegail Belicario (12-13 girls advanced kata).
Cebu City won three golds from Lloyd Quilaton (8-9 boys intermediate kata), Rowela Barredo (12-13 girls intermediate kata) and Gift Loyd Canencia (10-11 boys advanced kata).
