Taguinod, 11, captures 3 gold medals in swimming

VIGAN CITY—Swimmer Jalil Taguinod is gifted with the physique of a future champion, and he’s only 11 years old.

Lean and athletic at 5-foot-8, Taguinod made Santiago City proud Wednesday by pocketing three gold medals in the Luzon leg of the 2017 Philippine Sports Commission-Batang Pinoy Games.

The Palarong Pambansa standout faced no serious challenger in the boys’ 12-under 50-meter backstroke, clocking 33.58 seconds to handily beat Sebastian Castro of Camarines Sur (39.27s) and Zachary Cano of Pasig City (40.33) for his third mint in the pool.

Taguinod, a sixth grader at Santiago City Montessori School in Isabela province, earlier ruled the 200m individual medley in 2:31.29 and the 50m backstroke in 32.92 seconds in his age group.

Named Most Valuable Player of the 2017 Palarong Pambansa elementary level in Antique early this year, Taguinod will be seeking more golds in the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 4x50m IM relay events.

Another Olympic prospect showed up in athletics Wednesday in 14-year-old Charles Andrei Antones of Dasmariñas City, who won the boys’ triple jump with a leap of 13.34 meters on his second attempt.

Even the succeeding jumps of the 5-foot-9 Antones at 13.01 meters were way better than Pangasinan’s Mark Dave Cebino (12.74m) and Angelo Lopusta (12.42m).

Quezon City picked up five golds in swimming through Althea Michel Baluyot and Zoe Marie Hilario, who topped their two events in the 13-15 girls side.