Fil-American Monteclaro sweeps 7 golds in gymnastics

Photo courtesy of youtube.com/user/monteclarogymnastics

BACOLOD CITY—Jean Nathan Monteclaro came all the way from California to become an instant hit in the Philippine National Games.

The Filipino-American gymnast swept all seven gold medals at stake in men’s artistic gymnastics on Tuesday, making him the most bemedalled athlete at these Games while locking up a slot in the national team.

The 20-year-old Monteclaro overwhelmed the field in the floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, pommel horse, high bars, rings and all-around events in an eye-popping show at the San Agustin College gym here.

Competing out of University of California-Berkeley along with his twin brother Christian, Monteclaro posted scores of 13.20 in floor exercise, 12.40 (pommel horse), 15.130 (vault), 12.50 (parallel bars), 13.350 (rings) and 11.150 (high bars) to bag all-around honors.

“We were all stunned by his performance,” said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines head Cynthia Carreon. “He’s now a member of the national team in the coming SEA (Southeast Asian) Games.”

Monteclaro, whose parents hail from Iloilo and Batangas, placed 11th in the floor exercise at the recent US National Championships held in Ohio while his brother Christian took the silver in the vault, the best performer for the UC-Berkeley Golden Bears.

Carreon said Christian had to withdraw from the event after suffering a torn ankle ligament while doing a somersault during practice last Sunday. Despite the injury, Carreon said Christian has also been included in the Philippine team to the SEA Games in 2011 in Indonesia.

“It’s an honor for me and my brother to come over here and eventually compete for our country in the SEA Games,” said Monteclaro.

Former 2001 SEA Games bronze medalist Anna Cruz, meanwhile, was a class act on the distaff side, snaring all five golds—horse vault (12.76), uneven bars (5.37), balance beam (16.69), floor exercise (12.15) and all-around (46.97)—in artistic gymnastics.

In track and field, national athletes continued to hold sway in the Games.

Five-time SEA Games gold medalist Arniel Ferrera dominated the hammer throw, Julius Nierras escaped with the 400-meter gold and Rene Herrera’s performance in the 3000m steeplechase was second to none.

Ferrera posted a throw of 57.55 meters, far better than Karl Francisco’s 45.93 and Jerro Perater’s 39.86. With his slot in the PH team on the line, Nierras avoided humiliation by clocking 48.56 seconds and besting Christian Bagsit (49.03) and John Rey Bardos (50.18).

Herrera timed 9:06.02 to easily beat Christopher Ulboc (9:18.22) and Hernanie Sore (9:24.03).

Asian long jump champion Marestella Torres took the gold, as expected, late in the afternoon with a leap of 6.38 meters on her fourth attempt. Katherine Santos (6.08) of Baguio City bagged the silver and La Salle’s Felyn Deloso (5.42) the bronze.

Several track events lacked national pool entries and this allowed Jennylyn Progio (women’s 100m hurdles), Rayzam Shah Wan Sofian of Kota Kinabalu (men’s 110m hurdles), Riezel Buenaventura (women’s pole vault) and former UAAP and UST track standout Kiezel Pedrina (women’s 400m) to rule their events.

Niño Espinosa ruled the men’s long jump in the absence of top bets Henry Dagmil and Joebert Delicano.

The PH men’s dragon boat squad made up for its disqualification in the 20-man, 500-meter race Monday by winning the 10-man, 200-meter (49.41 seconds) and 20-man, 200-meter (47.41) of the meet sponsored by Smart, Procter and Gamble, Accel, Scratch It, Go for Gold, Summit Natural Drinking Water, SuperFerry and Negros Navigation.