TAGUM CITY—Swimmers Liaa Margarette and Lora Micah Amoguis have developed an affinity that translated into remarkable victories at the Mindanao qualifying leg of the 2019 Batang Pinoy Games here.
Pushing each other to excel, the Amoguis sisters grabbed three gold medals on Wednesday with the younger Liaa topping the girls’ 12-under 100-meter butterfly and 200m individual medley and Lora dominating the girls’ 13-15 200m IM that boosted Davao City’s medal tally.
“We motivate each other. When she feels down, I motivate her. Liaa does the same for me, too,’’ said the 13-year-old Lora. “I guess that closeness helps us perform at our best.’’
Liaa, who collected six golds in the Davao Regional Athletic Association meet last week, clocked one minute and 11.2 seconds to rule 100m fly and added another mint in the 200m IM in 2:39.
“My dream is to beat the Palarong Pambansa record,’’ said the 11-year-old Liaa, a fifth grader from Abba’s Orchard School who also donned the national colors in the recent Bimp-Eaga Friendship Games in Brunei.
Lora timed 2:35:06 in the 200m IM and wound up with a silver medal (33.97 seconds) in the girls’ 13-15 50m backstroke won by Gene Heart Quiambao of Bukidnon (33.69 seconds).
Lora and Liaa, both scheduled to swim in four more events, have earned spots in the national finals of the Games designed for athletes 15 years old and below.
“I’m excited to race against the best swimmers in the national finals,’’ said Lora. “My goal is not to win medals, I just want to beat my time.’’
Over at the City Mall in Tagum, Tacurong City reaped dividends with 13 gold medals in arnis led by double-gold performers Althea Charmene Delos Santos (cadet girls individual double weapon and single weapon) and Princes Sheryl Valdez (junior girls traditional individual double weapon and non-traditional individual single weapon).
Maria Veronica Ilagan (cadet girls individual single weapon), Jeko Jan Heyres (junior boys traditional individual single weapon) and Cristian Dave Bucio (junior boys non-traditional individual double weapon) also contributed to Tacurong’s coffers.
Completing the golden cast for Tacurong were the trio of Andrei Alcarato, Jan Vincent Monserat and Heyres in the junior boys team open weapon and Shena May Valdes, Joana Marie Julaya and Stephanie Mones in the junior girls team open weapon.
Cagayan de Oro City nailed three golds in taekwondo starring Lee Young Hwan in the welterweight division, heavyweight Carlos Pizana and finweight Von Xedric Faller while Kier Carlos Buico (middle) and Carl Andrew Cagas (light) shone for Butuan City.
Archer John Carlo Loreno amassed five gold medals for Koronadal City after hitting the target in the cadet boys’ 30-meter, 40m, 50m, 60m and single Fita events.
Precious Micah Basadre continued the Koronadal’s golden harvest by topping the cadet girls’ 30m, 40m, 50m and single Fita while younger sibling Jeremiah Adrian was unstoppable in the cub boys’ 20m, 30m, 50m and single Fita.