Manila tracksters, QC tankers show ‘em in Batang Pinoy

Taguig’s Gianeli Gatinga posted a pair of golden performances in girls’ athletics even as Manila and Quezon City made off with bumper harvests on two fronts at the start of the POC-PSC Batang Pinoy 2012 yesterday at Marikina Sports Complex.

Gatinga, 12, cleared 4.50 meters to capture the 13-under girls’ long jump in the morning before ruling the 100-meter dash in 13 seconds flat just before lunch in the first full day of the National Capital Region stage of the six-leg competitions.

With the gold medals in the 200m dash, triple jump and relays still to be disputed, the seventh grader at St. Francis of Assisi stands a fine chance of increasing her golden haul.

Quezon City made a big splash in the pool with nine golds, four of them by Raisa Regata Gavino and Kirsten Chloe Daos who landed two individual golds each and powered QC to victory in the 15-under 4x50m medley relay.

Gavino topped the girls’ 12-under 400m freestyle and 50m breaststroke, while Daos ruled the girls’ 15-under 200m butterfly and 400m freestyle.

But it was the tracksters from the NCAA three-peat champion San Sebastian who stole the limelight by capturing seven golds for Manila.

High school sophomore Vicente Nabong took the competition’s first gold by ruling the 15-under 5,000m run before chalking up two more wins in the 1,500m and 4x100m relay.

“I really prepared this year,” said Nabong, who hails from Sampaloc.

Also raking in golds for Manila were Staglets John Resty Lorenzo (boys’ 15-under long jump and high jump), Dexter Peña (15-under 100m dash), and Dexter Pascua (shotput).

Host Marikina bagged six golds in athletics, with Lierence Sayenga topping the boys’ 12-under long jump and high jump.

The hosts’ other golds came through Jasper Aldrian Navoa in the boys’ 15-under shot put, Joanna Mae Icaranom in the girls’ 13-under 2,000m walk, Rizelle dela Paz in the 15-under 400m dash and Jamie Immanuel Mejia in the boys’ 15-under 400m dash.

Also sharing the spotlight was Mariane Audrey Yorac of Pasig who won the 15-under high jump, Emmanuel Gutierrez who ruled the boys’ 13-under 100m dash and Erica Corag who topped the 13-under high jump.