Minda athletes strike gold

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Tiara Tudio grabbed two gold medals in the pool while Jenni Celine Dizon staged an upset win in tennis to boost Mindanao’s overall championship bid yesterday in the 7th BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games.

Tudio, an 18-year-old sports science major from University of the Philippines-Diliman, ruled the girls’ 200-meter and 50m breaststroke while the 15-year-old Dizon frustrated the highly favored Precean Rivera, 3-6, 6-1, 10-3, to snatch the women’s singles crown.

A prized find from Koronadal City, Tudio touched the wall first in 36.90 seconds in the 50m breaststroke, beating Malaysians Freda Cheng of Sabah (37.20) and Sarah Ann Thorp of Sarawak (38.28).

Tudio returned over an hour later and topped the 200m breast in 2:56.56 over Elly Xin Ping of Sabah (3:03.98) and Mindanao’s Samantha Cambronero (3:06.15) at South Cotabato Sports Complex pool.

Mindanao actually swept tennis as Rubylito Saga downed Jhun Alcoseba, 6-4, 6-3, for the men’s singles title of the four-country meet organized to foster sports unity and cooperation among Brunei, Indon-esia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Fagged out after their two-hour match in the scorching heat, Dizon and Rivera dropped the women’s doubles crown to Puerto Princesa’s Krhizzele Sampaton and April Santos, 6-2, 6-4, while the men’s doubles went to Sabah’s Stefan Alex and Gideon Madelin, who bested Saga and Alcoseba, 6-2, 6-2.

The other Filipino pool winners were Mindanao’s Jethro Robert Chua (boys’ 100m free) and Jede May Tanggol (girls’ 50m backstroke), and Francis May Pillado of Puerto Princesa (girls’ 200m fly).

Swimmers from Sabah and Sarawak, however, humbled the host tankers on Day 2 of the meet supported by Dunlop-Slazenger, SM City General Santos Marathon sepak takraw equipment, Donic and Pacman Pambansang Tubig.

Sarawak’s Wilson Sheng avenged his 100m free defeat by winning the 400m free against Chua and then claimed victories in the 1,500m free and 200m free. He was also part of Sarawak’s victorious team in the 4x200m and 4x100m free relays.

Chris Tan Li Ling and Freda Cheng Ru of Sabah also grabbed five gold medals each. Ru ruled the 400m free, 100m fly, and 50m fly while Ling prevailed in the 100m back, 400m IM and 200m.