VIGAN, Ilocos Sur — Baguio City made a move to realize its three-peat overall championship bid with deadeye archer Jathniel Caleb Fernandez hitting five gold medals in the Philippine Sports Commission-Batang Pinoy National Championships here Monday.
Fernandez led the deluge of mints for the Summer Capital bets with a performance to remember at the archery range in San Ildefonso Central School grounds some six kilometers away from the provincial capital Vigan.
The nine-year-old marksman scored 304 points to top the boys’ 10-under 10 meters event, beating Paul Castro of Bulacan (301 points) and teammate Harcklee Tabayag (274 points).
Fernandez, a Batang Pinoy first-timer, also conquered the 15-meter event winning by a mile with 243 points ahead of Tabayag (228) and Castro (198).
The third grader from Baguio Pines Family Learning Center scored 260 points to beat Castro (247) and Tacloban City’s Zach Padillo (246) in the 20m event; finished on top of the 30m podium with 257 points to down Castro (167) and Tabayag (127) and accumulated 1064 points to rule the 1440 event as Castro (913) and Tabayag (853) settling as runners-up.
“He really wanted to win and prepared hard for this,” Jathniel’s father Randy said in a phone interview adding that his son is “using the same equipment used by his elder siblings in past competitions.”
Fernandez guns for a sixth gold on Tuesday in the Olympic round event.
Michiko Gonzales also contributed to Baguio’s cause with victory in the compound girls’ 72 arrows.
On the other hand, Adrianna Jessie Magbojos also poured five gold for Sta. Rosa City with wins in the girls 10-under 10m, 15m, 20m, 30m and 1440 events.
Muay bets also gave Baguio City three gold medals in the shadow box event courtesy of Laike Javon Casuga (boys 10), Lyre Anie Ngina (girls 11) and Edel Ali Ngina (boys 15).
It was General Santos City which flexed its mastery in the event with five golds from Atasha Althea Amoguis (girls’ 10 years old), Keith Margaret Balinas (boys 12), Risha Althea Amoguis (girls 13), Aldrien Balandan (boys 14) and Rhyzel Chen Sevilleno (girls 15).
Meanwhile, Quezon City bets dominated the wushu virtual competition with six gold medals including a three-mint haul from Alexander Delos Reyes in the boys’ division.
Delos Reyes ruled the long weapon event scoring 8.67 points to best teammate Gabriel Cua (7.52 points). He also took the top spot in short weapon (jian shu and nandao) with 9.33 points to beat Ramzi Rosales of Manila (7.77 points) and Gillan Poras of Davao City (6.56 points) and won gold in the barehand (chang quan) after garnering 9.47 points to outshine Cua (8.19 points) and Davao City’s Ethan Cuaresma (7.45 points).
Zion Daraliay grabbed gold outright as the lone entry in female tai ji jian before taking top podium in barehand (24 steps taiji quan) while Cua reigned supreme in short weapon (dao shiu).
Rosales bounced back with a top finish in barehand (nan quan), Porras snatched gold in barehand (24 steps taiji quan), Rachel Cheung of Manila collected mints in female barehand (chang quan) and short weapon (jian shu) while Rizal’s Azriel Agreda topped the female barehand (nan quan).
At the Quirino Stadium track oval, Mico Villaran of Bacolod City captured three gold medals in the boys 110m hurdles, 200m run and 400m hurdles.
Masbate raked in golden finishes from Prince Branzuela (boys discus throw), Courtney Trainga (girls discus throw), Leonelyn Compuesto (girls 200m) and Jireh Rance (boys’ 800m). Compuesto, Alessandra Capellan, Realy Lanuza and Jesalyn Materdan were victorious in the 4x100m relay.
Pasig City swept the boys and girls 2000m walk with victories from James Banlalay and Sep Placido, respectively.
Also winning gold in athletics were Marc Cabiluna of Misamis Oriental (boys’ long jump), Angel Villagracia of Capiz (girls’ 100m hurdles), Loraine Batala of Calamba (girls’ 800m), Olongapo City’s Rafael Guinto (boys’ 5000m), Leyte’s Caitriona Vasquez (girls 400m hurdles) and Marjorie Ragudos of Pangasinan (girls’ high jump).
Carlo Agawin of Laguna won in boys’ shotput while his teammates took first place in the boys’ 4x100m relay.
In cycling that started and ended in front of the Provincial Capitol, Maritanya Krog added the girls’ 13-under individual time trial gold to her criterium victory the day before.
She guns for a golden triple today in the road race.
Other cycling winners were Jerick Cabael of Pangasinan (boys’ 13-under), General Santos City’s Aira Gregorio (girls 14-15 ITT) and Iloilo City’s Harvy Dolutan (boys 14-15 ITT).
Over at the Quirino Stadium pool, Angeles City tanker Daniel Jonas Ocampo (boys’ 200m back 12-under), Laguna’s Jaella Mische Mendoza (girls’ 200m back 12-under) and Lucena’s Peter Cyrus Dean (boys’ 200m back 13-15) all splashed through golden swims.
