NCR flexes muscles

MARYLYN Avila leaps her way to the hurdles gold for NCR. EDWIN BELLOSILLO

DUMAGUETE CITY—National Capital Region came up with record-breaking performances in swimming and major victories in track and field and other fronts to display its full sporting might yesterday in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa here.

Regina Erin Castrillo and Raissa Gavino posted new benchmarks in swimming for Metro Manila along with Rafael Baretto of Central Luzon, who snared his fourth gold medal via record fashion at San Lorenzo G. Teves Aquatics Center.

Castrillo, 12, set her third Palaro record in topping girls elementary 200m individual medley, clocking 2:37.16 that erased the 2:37.87 of Ingrid Ilustre of NCR that stood since 1997. She also captured the 100m freestyle and the 400m medley relay later in the afternoon to hike up her personal gold tally to five.

“I’m not surprised at how she’s doing because the girl is very focused during training and determined to win,” said coach and former national swimmer Luica Dacanay of Castrillo, who picked up two golds last Tuesday also in record fashion.

One of the most telling signs of NCR’s dominance here was in athletics, where it began to challenge Western Visayas’ stronghold at Gov. Marian Perdices Stadium.

Jaime Immanuel Mejia led the Big City’s charge in 400m hurdles, winning the high school boys in 55.3 seconds. Marylyn Avila ruled the high school girls (1:02.4) and Jan Mell Francis Gervacio won the elementary boys (1:02.4).

WV also snared three golds in athletics with Jil Iron Tabuena holding sway in  elementary boys discus throw (32.14m), Mark Ian Bautista ruling the elementary boys triple jump (12.37m) and Bernaluz Talaron topping elementary girls triple jump (10.19m).

Gavino, meanwhile, ruled the elementary girls 50-meter breaststroke with 36.63 seconds that bettered the 1997 mark of Khayla Khunn of Central Visayas (36.83 seconds).

Baretto put Central Visayas in the limelight with a 58.24-second triumph in high school boys 100m freestyle that improved the 58.61 seconds of Ronald Guiriba of NCR in 2000. It was Baretto’s fourth gold.

Gymnast Regine Reynoso of NCR also snatched four golds with two victories yesterday in floor exercise (13.050 points) and horse vault (12.513) at Negros Oriental State University Cultural Center.

In team tennis at Negros Oriental Praxevilla Tennis Club, NCR, powered by age-group stalwarts Erika Mae Manduriao, Jzash Canja and Manuel Balce, grabbed gold medals in boys elementary and girls high school. But Central Visayas claimed the top prize in boys high school, while Northern Mindanao took first place in girls elementary.