Olongapo lass grabs 3 swim golds

LINGAYEN—Jamleth Marie Villanueva, who turned to swimming as an asthmatic child, captured three gold medals at the pool yesterday at the start of the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy Games Northern Luzon qualifier here.

The 12-year-old from Olongapo City, a seventh grader at the Regional High School near Subic bay, ruled the girls’ 11-12 200-meter backstroke and 200m butterfly before powering  her team to victory in the 15-under 4x50m medley relay.

Villanueva clocked 2 minutes 51.82 seconds in the 200m back at the Dagupan City Pool Site. She timed  3:03.02) in the finals of the 200m fly while her winning relay team registered 2:31.17.

“I want to win all of my events and qualify for the national finals,’’ said Villanueva, whose father, Col. Jeric, is a police superintendent based at Camp Olivas. Villanueva is also competing in the 100m back and fly, 50m fly and 4x50m free in the next two days.

Medalists in the five qualifying legs will advance to the national championship in Iloilo City on Dec. 5-8.

Rafael Barreto of Guiguinto, Bulacan,  shared the limelight with two golds in the boys’ 12-under 100m and 400m freestyle. The 11-year-old sixth grader from Querubim Elementary School beat Marc Audrey Santos of Malolos for the gold in both events.

Dexter John Lacuna won the boys’ 13-15 400m free in 4:50.98. The brother of London Olympian Jessie Khing Lacuna beat John Ishmael de Leon of Pangasinan  and Maverick Belarmino of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

Erwin Generalao of Baguio City seized the first athletics gold medal of this talent hunt for athletes 15 years old and below after dominating the boys’ 14-15 5,000-meter run in 17 minutes, 18.9 seconds  at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center track.

A senior at the Baguio City National High School, the 15-year-old bested Ace Joshua Hipona of Candon, Ilocos Sur (18:48.3), and Reymark Quezada of Baguio (18:54.3) in the kick-off event of the games hosted by Pangasinan Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr.

James Galima of Candon, Ilocos Sur, finished ahead of the pack in the boys’ 2000m run (7:12.8), Briceline Soriano of Pangasinan won the girls’ high jump (4.07 meters) and Teofilo Manawat of Pangasinan pocketed the boys’ shot put gold (11.18 meters).

Also winning for Pangasinan were Irene Tabora (girls’ 14-15 high jump), Rona Joy Casem (girls’ 13-under 2000m walk), Rolando Bandarlipe (boys’ 13-under 2000m walk), Rico Navarro (boys’ 13-under long jump) and Karen Cayetano (girls’ 14-15 shot put) also made the host province proud.