Noval stars as CV bags 3 more golds

CEBU, Philippines - San Jose,Tarlac – Mandaue track star Daniel Noval claimed his second gold in the 53rd Palarong Pambansa in style, equaling the 12-year-old record in the 200m run at the Tarlac Recreational Park here yesterday.

Noval showed why he’s the fastest man in the Palaro by defeating his challengers in dominating fashion, logging in 22.19s second to match the

existing record in the secondary boys set by Ronald Calaunan of Cagayan Valley in 1998.

Though he failed to break the mark by just a split of a second, Noval was just as happy as he came up with double gold in his last apperance in

the school-based sports spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Noval ended his bid with a silver in the 4 x 100m relay alongside Ivan Castañeda, Anfernee Lopena and Kent del Rosario.

At the swimming pool, Loren Dale Echavez ended with a gold, and three silvers, the last came through the the 400m freestyle event.

Overall in Day 5, CVIRAA got three more golds, 10 silvers and five bronzes to improved its total haul to a dozen golds, 22 silvers and 13

bronzes going into the final day of action in the week-long sports conclave.

Over at Victoria National High School archery range some 40 kilometers away from the main venue, Dumaguete’s Crizabelle Merto scored

another victorious performance via the Olympic round.

Merto now has four golds and a silver in her medal collection to lead all CVIRAA delegates.

Merto’s teammate Romeo Betache Jr, contributed a silver also in the Olympic round. He missed the gold in a tie-breaker, 9-8, after scoring 89

points along with NCR’s Carl Buenaventura.

Another CVIRAA bet, Kiara Katada, got a bronze in the Olympic round.

In gymnastics at Hacienda Luisita, Heiro Concepcion felt like a hero himself after winning the gold in the elementary horse vault under the

men’s artistic gymnastics.

Rhythmic Sportive Gymnasts (RSG) mainstay Mary Carmelli Garrovillo grabbed two silvers from the hoop and rope after coming up with a

bronze in the individual all-around, while AJ Melgar had the silver in the ball.

On the other hand, CVIRAA’s secondary football team advanced to the final round versus Davao today after winning against Calabarzon via

penalty shootout,7-5. It was Cebuano Chris Go who saved the day of the Paref-Springdale mainly-composed CVIRAA booters.

Their elementary counterparts hopes to make it to the final round today after beating Western Visayas in the semis.

In basketball, CVIRAA’s elementary and secondary squads could only go as far as a battle for bronze after losing their respective semifinal round assignments, while CVIRAA was dethroned from its sepak takraw throne in the inter-team competition by MIMAROPA.

CVIRAA’s three-year reign in elementary volleyball was also halted by Western Visayas in lopsided fashion, 25-22,25-11.

The last man standing in boxing, Hidilito Banal, faltered in the final round against NCR’s Wilfredo Pelongco III to just settle for a silver.

CVIRAA’s batted sports bets in both the elementary and secondary levels are already out of contention, making Central Visayas’ aim of a better finish in this year’s Palaro very cloudy.  (FREEMAN NEWS)