Laguna runaway Batang Pinoy champion

CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro—Mary Ann Marañon pocketed two gold medals in badminton and Ian Jasper Forcado scored twice in chess to cap a strong finish by defending national champion Laguna yesterday in the Southern Luzon leg of the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy Games.

Marañon, a high school junior at Trace College-Los Baños, ruled the girls’ badminton singles and paired with Alyssa Geverjuan of Calamba to add doubles title as well.

The 14-year-old Marañon subdued Geverjuan, a freshman from Jose Abad Santos Memorial School, 21-12, 21-12, in the singles final before they joined forces in posting a 21-15, 21-15 win over Lucena City’s Marinalla Delos Santos and Ysabelle Diaz.

Laguna also secured the boys’ doubles title in an-all Laguna duel that saw Jan Emilio Mangubat, a high school sophomore at Trace College, and classmate Fides Bagasbas win over John Abuel Sy and Josef Dumapit, 21-15, 21-13.

Arman Joseph Manlalangit foiled Laguna’s sweep bid with a 21-16, 16-21, 21-13 decision over Mangubat in the boys’ singles.

Forcado joined Kenneth Flores and Eric Robert Yap in ruling the boys’ team blitz and standard and Laguna picked up another gold after Cristhina Ann Medenilla, Eula Djemarie Dela Cruz and Iris May Dela Cruz topped the girls’ team standard.

Laguna, which sparkled in athletics, swimming, karatedo, and wrestling, underscored its dominance with a final output of 73 gold, 59 silver and 50 bronze medals in the regional qualifier of the games designed to find promising athletes 15 years and younger.

Dasmariñas City, which produced 20 gold medals in athletics and three from karatedo, was a far second overall with a gold-silver-bronze haul of 25-29-18.

Host Calapan City won three golds in chess on the final day to finish with 24 on top of 19 silvers and 19 bronzes.

Nezil Arj Merilles of Calapan was undefeated in five rounds to rule the boys’ individual blitz and standard before the trio of Shayxanthe Louis, Cylliz Kaissa and Sofia Louise Ronquillo emerged triumphant in the girls’ team blitz.

In boxing, Tayabas sent five gold-medalists to the Batang Pinoy national games in Iloilo City on Dec. 5 to 8 while Puerto Princesa City won four titles.

Powderweight Warlito Tabat of Puerto Princesa finished off Nixon Mendoza of Antipolo City in just 18 seconds while light paperweight Eljay Loreto won by RSC in 1:21 of the second round over Earl Jade Narez of Quezon province.

Rex Dona and Franklin Dela Cerna also delivered for Puerto Princesa.