Cebu City is virtual champ

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  – Brandishing an insurmountable lead heading into the final day of competition, powerhouse Cebu City Niños virtually sealed their 19th straight overall championship in the 2011 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet yesterday at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex here.

The Niños tightened their grip of the overall lead with 213 points followed by Dumaguete with 112 points and Mandaue City with 68. Cebu Province and Talisay occupied the fourth and fifth spots with 53.5 and 50.5 points, respectively.

Team Cebu City piled up more points after sweeping the titles in lawn tennis and taekwondo events. The Niños also made waves in gymnastics and archery.

In elementary lawn tennis, Jan Godfrey Seno routed John Clyde Laquio of Naga City, 8-2, in the boys singles, while Gener Francis Lambayan and Arthur Craig Pantino fended off Bohol Province’s Rucel Rocero and Randy Labor, 8-4, in the boys doubles.

In the girls doubles, Allysa Mae Bornia and Zethley Mae Alferez clobbered Bohol’s Angel Michelle Asenjo and Jessa Maria Liquit, 8-2.

In the secondary level, Fritz Satera topped the boys singles after beating Janjan Amandoron of Bohol, 8-2, while Mary Claire Lazaga and Elgy Dasian whipped Negros Oriental in the girls doubles, 8-4.

In gymnastics, Jesus Saragosa spearheaded Cebu City's charge by scooping all gold medals in the floor exercise, vault, all-around and in team competition. Janrie Moga chipped in two golds in the secondary floor exercise and all-around event.

Over at the Maribojoc Cultural Center, Karen Sthea Velez handed over two golds for TCC in the rope and hoop events of the rhythmic sportive gymnastics (RSG). Interestingly, she outsmarted Palarong Pambansa gold medallist Carmeli Garrovillo of Cebu Province.

In the elementary class, Marian Alegado got the gold in rope and Eunice Odag in hoop event.

In taekwondo, the gold medallists in the elementary division were John Kim Lapas (120-128cm), Charles David Labiste (128-136cm), Warren Jan Rama (136-144cm), Sal Luigi Estrada (160-168cm), Aiko Ito (136-144cm), Veronica Garces (144-152cm), Mayn Yengele Coran (152-160cm) and Ken Viore Nadela (160-168cm).

               In athletics, Roy Villahermosa and Raul Perez banged in two more golds for the Niños. Villahermosa topped the 400m run in 52.72 seconds and the 400m hurdles in 57.61 seconds, while Perez ruled the 200m run (22.96 sec) and the 110m hurdles (15.22 sec).

The other TCC gold medallists in Day 3 were Jersell Cabatino in triple jump (12.66m), Virgel Abella in javelin throw (42.73m), John Cliff Rebolusan in 800m run (2:06.89 min) and Abegail Flores in 100m hurdles (16.97 sec).

The TCC booters, on the other hand, thrashed Negros Oriental, 3-0, to book a championship ticket in secondary boys football. They will face Bayawan City, which advanced after booting out Cebu Province, 1-0.

Dumaguete, meanwhile, got the chunk of its points in swimming the other day and archery. After lording it over in the 30m, 40m and 50m, Karel Kristian Mari added two more golds via 60m and Olympic individual events in secondary boys archery.

Mandaue City’s gymnast Alain Gepiga and lady archer Princess Moya pumped up points for their contingents after reigning supreme in their respective events.

Gepiga lorded it over in the vault and team competition of the secondary boys men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG), while Moya topped the 60m distance and Olympic individual in secondary girls archery.

Mandaue's Aldren Agang bagged gold medal in steeplechase event with a time of 10 minutes and 45.59 seconds.

Cebu Province’s lone title yesterday came from its sipa team manned by Catmon Elementary School. Gia Bucag added another gold in javelin throw event with a distance of 32.58 meters. (FREEMAN)