Big City bets show might

LEGAZPI CITY—Athletes from the National Capital Region raked in 21 golds, the majority of them in swimming and gymnastics, to pull away in the medal tally of the Palarong Pambansa here yesterday.

The Big City’s sporting might was in full display in swimming at Bicol University-Albay Tourism and Sports Center pool, where it scooped seven gold medals, and in gymnastics at St. Agnes Academy, where it clinched 10 victories.

Half of the gymnastics gold haul came from Isabella Louise Sta. Maria who ruled the secondary women’s artistic gymnastics’ floor exercise, balance beam, vault, individual all-around and was part of the NCR squad that won the team event.

NCR now has 40 gold, 23 silver and 21 bronze medals as it zeroed in on its 11th straight overall title.

Calabarzon, led by swimmer Regina Castrillo, lay second with a 23-19-21 harvest followed by Western Visayas with 22-19-17. Emerging power Northern Mindanao kept fourth spot with 15 golds, six of them coming from combat sports arnis and taekwondo’s poomsae.

Raphael Henrico Santos pressed NCR’s superiority in the pool with four victories in elementary boys, including the 200-meter medley, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, and 200m medley relay.

Yuri Ilustre added to NCR’s gold chest with wins in secondary boys’ 200m breaststroke. NCR’s 400m medley relay team of Alaric Conlu, Cedric Butiong, Jose Antonio dela Rosa and Stephen Guzman also topped the grade school race.

Northern Mindanao made its presence felt in athletics with Pearl Viente and Junaly Tagaloguin topping the elementary boys’ and girls’ 400m runs, respectively.

Calabarzon struck through Jessie Lumapas in secondary girls’ 400m, Ezel Divinagracia in the 100m, Jan Vincent Alejandro in secondary boys’ 400m and Airon Pusag in elementary boys’ 110m hurdles.