NCR athletes humble Scuaa swim rivals

ILOILO CITY—National Capital Region asserted its supremacy in swimming and other fronts in the 2012 National Scuaa (State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association) Olympics at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

Led by Hazel Ecleo, NCR dominated the pool by winning 19 of the 42 gold medals at stake to retain the overall championship in this event hosted by Dr. Pablo E. Subong of the West Visayas State University, Dr. Benny Palma of Carlos Hilado Memorial State College and Dr. Luis Sorolla of the West Visayas College of Science and Technology.

Region 3 (Central Luzon) finished a distant second in swimming with 11-5-4, while host Region 6 (Western Visayas) wound up third with 4-10-1.

Ecleo added six more gold medals to her earlier collection to emerge as the meet’s winningest athlete with eight gold medals.

Aside from topping the women’s 50m freestyle and 200m freestyle, Ecleo also bagged the golds in 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle while anchoring the NCR team to first-place finishes in the 200m medley relay, 400m medley relay and 200m freestyle relay.

Sharing the limelight for the Big City tankers were Andrea Grace Caballes (women’s 400m IM, 200m IM, 800m freestyle relay, 400m freestyle relay, 200m freestyle relay) and Joemar Evora (men’s 400m IM, 400m freestyle relay, 200m freestyle relay).

In athletics, Region 6 (Western Visayas) struck for two golds courtesy of Herlbert Aldaya in men’s 400 hurdles and Adonis Sadumag in men’s discus throw.

NCR also threw its weight in men’s taekwondo, winning five of the eight gold medals disputed.