Ron Gabriel Villa tried out his luck in basketball, but ultimately found success in a sport he never imagined playing.
The ninth grader from Immaculate Conception Academy in Dasmariñas, Cavite, ruled the boys’ discus throw event to grab the first track and field gold medal in the Luzon leg of the 2019 Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy.
“I didn’t make it to the basketball team of Dasmariñas City (and) I wanted to play in the Batang Pinoy, so I tried another sport,” said Villa, whose golden throw under scorching heat at City of Ilagan Sports Complex in Isabela was 35.24 meters.
The 14-year-old turned back fellow Dasmariñas City thrower Con Prince David, who had a heave of 33.30 meters with Kurt Errol Calalon of Baguio City snatching the bronze in 30.33.
Other gold winners were Hussein Loraña of Baguio (boy’s 1,500-m), Marvelyn Canon of Bulacan province (long jump girls) and Lheslie De Lima of Camarines Sur (1,500-m girls).
Loraña, a Grade 8 student of University of Baguio, checked in at 4:27.1 in defeating James Bryle Ballester of Laguna (4:30.2) and Mark Daniel Tambot of Ilagan City (4:31.9).
A Palarong Pambansa veteran, De Lima emerged victorious in 4:51.5 over Magvrylle Chrause Matchino of Laguna (5:02.6) and Samantha Nicole Caneda of Taguig City (5:02.09).
Taguig City ended the day with nine gold medals in karatedo, narrowing the gap in the medal tally for overall race which Baguio City leads.
Alekssa Mei Pareja and Keanu Neil Rodriguez ruled the 12-13 girls and boys intermediate kata, Rochelle Daño in 14-15 girls intermediate kata, Alyssa Eunice Dinglasan in 10-11 girls’ advance kata.