CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro—Hurdler Rocena Chua couldn’t wait to get home with her six gold medals while swimmer Nicole Mean Pamintuan lined herself up for a similar feat in the Southern Luzon qualifying leg of the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy Games.
Chua, a high school sophomore from St. Michael College-Biñan, sparked Laguna’s runaway victory in the girls’ 14-15 4×400-meter relay after earlier topping the 400m hurdles and triple jump. The 14-year-old lass had earlier prevailed in the 100m hurdles and high jump aside from clinching another gold in the 4x100m relay.
“I’m ready for the national finals. My parents will surely be proud of these medals. I’m excited to go home,” said Chua in Filipino, daughter of a truck driver helper from Biñan, Laguna.
Already with three golds in the girls’ 13-under 400m freestyle, 100m free and 200m medley relay, Pamintuan, who also studies at St. Michael College, is set to match Chua’s feat in the pool as she is favored in the 200m free, and in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.
With Chua leading the way, Laguna topped athletics with 30 gold medals while Dasmariñas City, which produced a quadruple gold winner in long jumper Felix Libo-on, collected 20 golds.