BP Mindanao qualifying

DAPITAN CITY—Zamboanga City edged past Davao City in a thrilling race for overall honors in the Mindanao leg of the POC-PSC Batang Pinoy 2012 that came to a close yesterday at Jose Rizal Memorial State University here.

Zamboanga City collected 42 gold, 27 silver and 25 bronze medals, striking heavily in karatedo (14 golds), swimming (13), athletics (seven) and lawn tennis (three). It also nailed two golds in pencak silat which was staged as the national finals.

Davao City finished with a 40-27-14 gold-silver-bronze medal count after dominating swimming with 15 victories, five of them from 15-year-old wonder girl Dara Clariza Evangelista. Nine golds came in chess, six of them courtesy of 15-year-old Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus, who won the boys’ individual and shared in the team gold in standard, rapid and blitz.

General Santos City, Davao del Norte, Panabo City and Misamis Oriental made their presence felt in taekwondo and boxing which have been Mindanao’s strengths in national-level competitions.

Gold and silver medalists in each of the five legs qualify to the National Finals in Iloilo City on Dec. 5 to 9. The Visayas qualifying is slated next on Nov. 21 to 24.

General Santos City, home of boxing superstars Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire Jr., ruled taekwondo with six gold medals through Jerel Anthony Dalida in boys’ bantamweight, Earnest Alvin Rosaot in flyweight, Gian Carlo Cunanan in featherweight, Oliver Aburdo in welterweight, Johanes Abayon in middleweight and Angel Abbyx Lerio in girls’ middleweight.

Davao del Norte posted three taekwondo golds through Gaverealle Estoque in boys’ lightweight, Lea Lezty Buates in girls’ finweight and Xyla Genea Gutierrez in girls’ lightweight in the competition held at the New Government Lobby.

Panabo City dominated boxing as expected with five wins through Jerald Cantero (30 kg), Joe Wellan Cantero (34 kg), and Cris Sander Laurente (36 kg) in the kids’ 12-13 division, and Jose Ravelo Aballe (48 kg) and Michael Jeorge Codilla (50 kg) in school boys’ 14-15 category.

Misamis Oriental earned three golds through Paul John Estremos (28 kg kids division), and Carlo Paalam (38 kg) and Lambert Daming (44 kg) in the school boys’ class. Saranggani’s lone gold came from Dave Mark Apolinario (32 kg) in the kids’ division.

Davao del Norte wound up third overall with a 13-13-14 medal haul, nipping GenSan which had less silver with five. Misamis Oriental (6-3-5) was fifth followed by Cagayan de Oro (6-5-9) and North Cotabato (5-5-9).