PUERTO PRINCESA–John Alexander Talosig of Cotabato Province spearheaded the mighty surge of swimmers away from traditional powerhouse National Capital Region as he splashed his way to his fifth gold medal at the end of the Batang Pinoy National Finals swimming competitions Wednesday at Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex here.
Talosig clocked 4:20.03 in pocketing the gold medal in the boys’ 13-15 400 freestyle to add to his glittering collection. He also triumphed in the 200, 400 individual medley events and 200m freestyle event and 1500m freestyle
The feat came a day after Albren Jan Dayapdapan of Dipolog City shattered the boys’ 14-15 50m breastsroke Philippine junior national record with an impressive time of 31.10 seconds, better than the 31.27 mark registered by Gerard Bordado 16 years ago in Laguna.
Talosig’s fiery show was matched by Paranaque’s Marc Dula, a member of the Susan Papa Swimming Academy, and Aubrey Tom of Cainta, Rizal.
A veteran internationalist, Dula completed a swept of his five events as he clocked 1:08.11 in topping the boys’ 13-15 100m backstroke, while Tom, a student at the University of the Philippines Integrated School, won her fifth gold by ruling the 50m freestyle.
‘‘I dedicate the gold medals to my coach Susan Papa. Without her, I cannot accomplish these things,’’ said Dula. Papa, an Asian Gamer and the brain behind the Philippine Swimming League, succumbed to cancer this year.
Other Visayas and Mindanao swimmers also shone in various fronts at the end of the swimming competitions. Davao City’s Liaa Margarette Amoguis ( girls 15 & under 400 Individual Medley, 200m freestyle); Negros Occidental’s Earl Buncio (boys 13-15 50m butterfly); Cotabato Province’s Isidore Warain ( boys 12 & under 200m freestyle, 200m breaststroke); Cotabato Province’s Jie Angela Talosig (girls `13-15 200m freestyle); and Dipolog City’s Jashara Napigquit (girls 12 &under 200m backstroke).
Last Tuesday, gymnast Karl Jahrel Eldrew Yulo, 11, of Manila made it to the elite list of five-gold medal winners with scintillating shows in the individual all-around, floor exercise, vault, mushroom and parallel bars.
In athletics, Gio Beguna of Cebu Province pocketed the boys javelin throw gold (46.05m). Noel Fuentes of South Cotabato settled for the silver (43.42m), while Pangasinan Province’s Allan Diaz got the bronze (42.61m). Zambales Province’s Janine Ledina ruled the girls discus with a throw of 34.57m; while Lheslie de Lima snared her second gold by ruling the girls 3000m.
The girls long jump gold went to Bulacan Province’s Marvelyn Canon (5.50m); Julius Ranosa of Ligao City finished first in the boys 200m in 23 seconds; while Calamba City’s Erica Ruto nipped Bacolod City’s Krisha Aguillon in the girls 200m with a time of 26.1. Earlier, Bago City’s Kate Martinez won her second gold after ruling the girls shot put with a heave of 10.6m.