NEGRENSE student athletes gained early gold medals at the start of the Visayas Qualifying leg of the Batang Pinoy 2019 on Monday at the Iloilo Sports Complex in Iloilo City.
Elyka Salmorin, representing Negros Occidental, captured the first gold medal in the weeklong Batang Pinoy National Finals qualifier after ruling the girls 2000-meter walk event.
Two more Negros Occidental athletes delivered bronze medals with Airex Gabriel Villanueva finishing third at boys discus throw and Vanessa Anne Pranisa bagging bronze in high jump.
Bago City’s Kate Julienne Martinez, who recently won a discus throw gold medal in the WVRAA Meet 2019, took home the gold medal in the shot put event after tallying 10.48 meters.
Meanwhile, New Washington, Aklan’s Din Wel Barrosa captured the gold in boys long jump with 5.93 meters leap. Finishing with silver and bronze were La Carlota’s Raynart Torre (5.88) and La Castellana’s Airu Jor (5.67).
In swimming also at the ISC, Alexi Cabayaran of Negros Occidental bagged two gold medals in the girls 13-15 backstroke and 13-15 freestyle, while Jay-R Punzalan of Negros Occidental bagged the 13-15 boys backstroke gold.
Karla Labayen of Bacolod City, meanwhile, bagged the gold medal in the girls 13 and under 800 meter freestyle, while Julianne Sevilla of Negros Occidental and Georgina Plenago of Iloilo City bagged the silver and bronze medal.
Jennuel Booh De Leon of Kalibo, Aklan topped the 13 and under 1500-meter freestyle with Renji de Miguel of Negros Occidental and Karlan Ganzon of Iloilo City bagging silver and bronze medals.
Troy Castor of Negros Occidental had a gold in 12 and under 100-meter freestyle and bronze in 50-meter backstroke, while Guiliver Clemente of Antique ruled the 13-15 200-meter boys individual medley while Iloilo City’s Kristel Napallatan topped the distaff side.
Krisha Dedoyco Aguillon of Bacolod Tay Tung High School captured the gold medal in girls 100-meter dash. Her teammate Aubrey Mae Mercado took home the bronze medal.
Iloilo City, meanwhile, stamped its class in taekwondo event with four kyorugi golds courtesy of Kyle Chin (flyweight), Seth Hendrick Porquez (featherweight), Jake Christian Mamigo (lightweight) and Bill Donton III (heavyweight). John Badayos and Xandrew Refugio bagged bronze
In poomsae event, Cyd Edryc Esmaña and Elizabeth Marie Borres bagged a gold each in cadet female category, while Kean Ryth Bornazal had silver and Roivic John Decafe took bronze in junior male category./PN
