Castañeda produces CVIRAA's first gold in Palaro

San Jose, Tarlac , Philippines  – The Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) went off to a good start, claiming a gold in athletics and won all but one of their first assignments in the different events yesterday in the 2010 Palarong Pambansa here at the Tarlac Recreational Park.

Ivan Castañeda handed CVIRAA its first gold medal in the week-long sports conclave after topping the long jump event with a distance of 6.82 meters.

“It’s my first Palaro in high school and also my last since I’m already 18, so I did everything I can to win the gold,” said Castañeda.

Castañeda’s golden showing compensated the loss of the other CVIRAA entry in long jump, Kent Del Rosario of Argao, who was disqualified after suffering three fouls.

CVIRAA bets in secondary javelin and discus throw failed to make it to the top eight.

Region I’s Stephanie Cimatu ruled the javelin throw but failed to break the meet record of 39m set by CVIRAA’s Melva Quirino in 1998. The shotput gold in the secondary boys division was grabbed by Albert Mantua.

Later in the afternoon, CVIRAA's Gia Bucag could only get a bronze in girls elementary shotput with a distance of 9.23m.Bucag was still proud of her performance though as it was her first medal in the multi-sport gathering under the wings of Department of Education (DepEd). She is the defending champion in javelin throw.

In the other games, CVIRAA opened its bid in volleyball with a win over CAVRAA, while the CVIRAA hoopsters overpowered CALABARZON, 68-52, in elementary division.

CVIRAA’s table netters also hurdled all their opening assignments with its elementary girls winning over Davao and its elementary boys prevailing over Eastern Visayas. In the secondary girls division, CVIRAA tamed Southern Mindanao and its boys counterpart outsmarted Bicol region.

In batted sports, CVIRAA was merciless against Ilocos Region,14-2, in the secondary girls softball, while its elementary baseball squad came from behind to vanquish CARAGA, 6-3. (FREEMAN NEWS)