Barefoot lass breaks mark

DUMAGUETE CITY—Angelica de Josef removed one of the oldest records to underscore Western Visayas’ solid campaign in track and field even as the National Capital Region’s pool wonder Regina Erin Castrillo broke yet another meet mark in scooping her sixth gold medal in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa yesterday.

The 14-year-old De Josef, running barefoot, topped the girls’ high school 800-meter run at Gov. Mariano Perdices Memorial oval in two minutes, 17.2 seconds to shatter the 2:18.3, 18-year-old record of Delt Condes of NCR.

Castrillo ruled the girls’ elementary 100-meter butterfly in record time at the San Lorenzo Teves Aquatics Center. She clocked one minute and 8.29 seconds to break the 2011 feat of 1:09.38 by Frances Pillado of Mimaropa in the eliminations then improved on her mark with a 1:06.29 effort in the finals.

“I’m on the right track; I hope to sweep it all if I can,” said Castrillo who will vie for a perfect 7-of-7 in the 50m free today.

Castrillo earlier won the 200m individual medley and 50m fly in record times and the 100m free and shared in NCR’s record victory in the 200m medley relay and in the 400m medley relay.

Catherine Bondad, another NCR swim star in the high school division, notched her fifth gold in ruling the 800m free, while Central Luzon’s Rafael Barreto matched that golden haul in the boys’ elementary category by winning the 100m fly.

Christopher Lirazan of Western Visayas was hailed the fastest boy of the meet after beating Socksargen’s Romnick Nor in a controversial photo-finish in the 100m.

Socksargen sought a review of the tape, saying its own video of the dead-heat showed Nor clearly won.

“In our tape, although not official, it shows that Nor’s torso was first to cross the line,” said Napoleon Comicho of Koronadal Physical Education for School Sports.

After hours of deliberation, however, Palaro officials said Lirazan won the race in 11.1 seconds, and Nor second in 11.3.