AGUSAN DEL SUR — Western Visayas further tightened its grip on the 2026 Palarong Pambansa athletics competition after shattering two relay records on Friday and collecting a fresh batch of gold medals across multiple sports, strengthening its bid for another strong overall finish in the country’s premier school-based sporting event.
The Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA) rewrote the Palaro record books in both the elementary girls’ and elementary boys’ 4×100-meter relay events, highlighting another productive day that also yielded medals in swimming, pencak silat, arnis, muay thai, and chess.
The region’s elementary girls’ 4×100-meter relay team clocked a record-breaking 51.79 seconds to eclipse the previous Palaro mark of 52.44 seconds set in 2015.
Powering the historic run were Trixia Anne Arellano of Concepcion, Iloilo, and Carles, Iloilo standouts Maria Athena de Guiño, Norlyn Bedo, and Princesa Lyn Yanson. The quartet was coached by Rey John delos Reyes, Leone Tiosayco, and Benedicto Prasas.
WVRAA followed it up with another record-setting performance in the elementary boys’ 4×100-meter relay, timing 47.31 seconds to erase the previous record of 47.81 seconds established in 2025.
The winning squad was led by Jake Pablo of Carles, Iloilo together with runners from Capiz and Antique.
Arellano added another gold medal in elementary athletics, while Rheannah A. Moreno also struck gold to boost Western Visayas’ growing medal haul.
Khent Joseph D. Belarmino likewise delivered a gold-medal performance in elementary athletics.
In swimming, Ven Isidore Bartolome ruled the boys’ 50-meter backstroke event to capture gold, while Kassandra Jamandre and Jan Renier Pasadilla settled for bronze medals in their respective secondary swimming events.
Western Visayas also dominated the combat sports competitions.
John Jems D. Jizmundo clinched gold in secondary pencak silat, while Zyche Mae C. Jizmundo secured a silver medal in the same discipline.
The region’s secondary boys’ and secondary girls’ pencak silat teams likewise emerged as gold medal winners after impressive performances in their respective divisions.
In arnis, the Western Visayas elementary boys’ team captured gold in the Anyo Single Weapon category, while Jean Rose A. Antonie earned a silver medal in elementary competition.
Secondary muay thai campaigners Alexis John P. Cerbas and Niel Paul D. Geronca each contributed silver medals to the regional tally.
WVRAA also delivered in chess, with the elementary girls’ team winning gold. Faith R. Argenal bagged bronze in secondary chess, while Mica Claire R. Clar secured silver in elementary competition.
Meanwhile, the neighboring Negros Island Region (NIR) sustained its strong campaign in swimming.
Sofia Ysabela Secuelan captured gold in the girls’ 50-meter backstroke, while Annysa Joyce Diga won silver in the elementary girls’ 100-meter freestyle after improving her time to 1:04.70 in the finals.
Secuelan and Diga later teamed up with Julia Jewels Pobleto and Patricia Anikka Caromayan to win gold in the elementary girls’ 4×50-meter freestyle relay.
The latest medal-winning performances further strengthened the campaigns of both Western Visayas and Negros Island Region as the 2026 Palarong Pambansa entered its crucial stages./PN
