Elika Salmorin, driven to hurdle challenges because of her sick brother, seized the first gold medal in the Visayas leg of the 2019 Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy on Monday.
The 14-year-old from Bacolod City braved the morning heat to rule the girls’ 2000-meter walk in 14 minutes and 16.08 seconds, defeating fellow Negros Occidental trackster Rhyza Vaflor at Iloilo Sports Complex.
“This is for my brother,” said Salmorin, a ninth grader from Romanito Maravilla Sr. National High School. “Whatever amount I get here, I will spend it for his medicines.”
Salmorin’s 25-year-old brother, Eduardo, has been suffering from epilepsy.
Vaflor, who hails from Escalante City, clocked 14:36.48 and will join Salmorin in the national finals scheduled in October either in Ormoc City or Tagbilaran City in Bohol.
Cebu province also captured a pair of gold medals through the efforts of discus thrower Gio Baguna (36.79 meters) and high jumper Donalita Torres (1.35m).
Other winners in track and field were Aklan’s Din Wel Barrosa in boys’ long jump and Bago City’s Kate Julienne Martinez in girls’ shotput.
Swimming also kicked off on Monday with Negros Occidental and Ormoc harvesting four golds each.
Alexie Kouzenye Cabayaran of Negros earned the distinction as the first double-gold performer after topping the girls’ 13-15 100m freestyle in 1:02.36 and 50m back in 32.01 seconds.
Negros Occidental’s Jay-R Punzalan and Troy Castor also prevailed in the 13-15 group’s boys’ 50m back and boys’ 100m free, respectively.
Ormoc leaned on the golden feats of Coby Marcus Rivilla (boys’ 12-under 200m individual medley), Maria Angel Cimafranca (girls’ 13-15 200m IM), Rex dela Cruz Jr. (boys’ 12-under 50m backstroke) and Martina Anele Estrella (girls’ 12-under 50m back).
Cebu City, top overall performer in the previous Visayas leg held in Dumaguete City, had no pool gold on Day 1, but impressed in basketball with a 71-23 demolition of Dulag, Leyte.