ILOILO Sur – Western Visayas dropped to third place in the overall medal tally following a slow gold medal haul in the penultimate day of the 61st Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Sur yesterday.
After placing second the past two days, the Blue Barons dropped to third place with 38 golds, 36 silver and 46 bronze medals behind defending champions National Capital Region (80-59-44) and Region 4-A (52-40-59).
However, the Blue Barons managed to break another record with the group of Vince Jayson Buhayan, John Christian Mediano, Kennard Alarba, and Jeffrey Albania tallying a new Palaro record in secondary boys’ 4×100-meter relay.
The quadruplet finished the relay in 42.44 seconds to shatter the 42.48 seconds of Region 4-A last year.
Buhayan and Alarba along with Aaron Vincent Merin and Edgar Carado also won a silver in the 4×400-meter relay.
John Masuhol also captured a gold for the Blue Barons in the elementary boys’ 1,500-meter run and in 4×100-meter relay from Krisha Dedoyco Aguillon, LG Shaire Baylon, Jey Anne Dieta, and Lorea Rose Segura.
Western Visayas made a splash in silver medals in athletics courtesy of EJ Secorata in elementary boys’ high jump, Christian Paul Tiongson in secondary boys’ 1,500-meter run, Marden Gabriel Villaruel in elementary boys’ 200-meter dash and Baylon in elementary girls’ 200-meter dash.
Other silver medalists were Christian Paul Tiongson in secondary boys’ 1,500 meters; Cherrylyn Santiago, Athena Rose Besana, Aguillon and Dieta in elementary 4×400-meter relay and Ma. Isabel Oqueriza, Angelyn Ortiz, Rosalie Estillore, and Bernalyn Bejoy in 4×400 meters relay secondary.
The region captured three golds in swimming courtesy of Alexander Quiton, Kaelan Garzon, Jennuel de Leon, and Wilse Azarcon in elementary boys’ freestyle relay; Alexi Cabayaran, Andrea Seloterio, Joan Cathryn Perez, and Jhana Neri in elementary girls’ freestyle; and Regan Garbanzos, Earl Dublas, Martin and Moses Bito-onon in secondary boys’ freestyle.
Cabayaran added a silver and bronze from elementary girls’ butterfly and freestyle, respectively, while Garbanzos also won a silver in free style.
Stefany Sa-Ac added a bronze from secondary girls’ backstroke.
The Blue Barons also produced four golds in wushu from John Dave Daras in 42 kg to 45 kg, Jerson Parreno in 45 kg to 48 kg, Ghea Mae Gregorios in under-42 kg and Ghemlie Luna in 45 kg to 48 kg.
Taking in silver medals were Shun Kervin Barreta in 52 kg to 56 kg and Angelica Saludares in 48 kg to 52 kg, while Maria Angelica Taliga captured a bronze medal in the 42 kg to 45 kg.
In arnis, Western Visayas had a silver from Jessie Mae Beso in featherweight and bronzes from Mariyah Sumiran in half flyweight, John Lord Socajil in extra lightweight and Andrian Arca in half lightweight./PN
