Cebu City athletes shine brightly in PNG

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Niños made their presence felt with a golden showing in women’s softball and beach volley spiced up with record-breaking performances in weightlifting in the 2nd POC-PSC Philippine National Games in Dumaguete City.

Manned by players from the Salazar Colleges of Science Institute of Technology (SCSIT), Team-Cebu City claimed gold medal in women's softball after a 9-0 rout of Bukidnon in the final.

In beach volley, the TCC won gold and silver medals to delight of American coach Eric Lecain along with his local counterparts in Cecil Jotojot and Joerem Yu.

The tandem of Johnrey Sasing and Edward Ybañez outlasted University of the Visayas’ Mike Abria and Jade Becaldo, 21-17, 24-22, in the all-Cebu men's final, while Jusabelle Brillo and Ericka Verano settled for silver in the women's side after bowing to Phl Team members Juvelyn Gonzaga and Angela Benting in three sets, 21-13, 19-21, 15-10.

In weighlifting, TCC ended its bid with 10 golds, eight silvers and three bronzes. Angelica Lado led the Niños hot charge after breaking her three four-year-old national records.

Lado, who is supported by the Aliño Integrated Services, broke the national record in the +75 kgs. division she established during the 2009 SEA Games in Laos.

From 77 to 81 kgs. best lift in the snatch and from 95 to 107 kgs. in the clean and jerk, Lado improved her total lift from 172 to 188 kgs., enough for a golden finish in the open division.

Kelle Kaye Rojas, a student from the University of San Jose-Recoletos, missed to break a PHL record in the -48 kgs.division, but managed to reset the collegiate mark in the snatch from 65 to 70 kilograms. Her efforts were good for two golds in the open and collegiate level.

Two other TCC mainstays in Martin Patenio and Evan Catingub also shattered national collegiate records.

Patenio improved his own mark in the snatch with 110 kgs., 145 kgs. in the clean and jerk for a total of 255 kgs. under the 69 kgs. division. He also ended with a double gold.

From 100 kgs. in the snatch, Catingub now has 101 kgs. Aside from the gold in the collegiate division’s 85 kgs., he also got a silver from the open division.

46 kgs. bet Vicente Castañares, Jr. had two golds through the youth and secondary boys division, while 52 kgs. Christian Catingub and Princess Glen Tirol contributed gold each through the collegiate and 12-under girls category.

In arnis, Donie Aguhob won gold in the welterweight division, while featherweight Angel May Valparaiso came up with a bronze. April Max Caballes wound up with a silver from the super heavyweight division.

TCC also snared gold in the men's team anyo single weapon and bronze in the distaff side. They also got another bronze in the anyo double weapon event.

 TCC sealed its bid in pencak silat with two golds, three silvers and two bronzes. From bronze in the tunggal, Irendin Lepatan snatched gold in class A of tanding after she silenced Capiz’s Edmarie Joy Obidos, 3-0. Hazel Yosoya added one gold through the class E division.

Like the dance athletes, the TCC swimmers stole the limelight after fishing out 21 golds, 20 silvers and six bronzes from the pool.

Karen Mae Indaya led TCC's charge with six golds and a silver followed by Romylin Nina Ignacio with four golds, one silver and one bronze.

The Navarro siblings saw Anthony Linn bagging four golds and three silvers and Lyh Ann hauling three golds, two silvers and a bronze. Michael Ichiro Kong got two golds and a silver, while Bethmay Arellano handed two silvers and three bronzes.

In athletics, TCC ended up with three golds, nine silvers and six bronzes. The golds came from Aiza Suaybaguio in the 800m run, Gia Bucag in shot put and Mary Grace de los Santos in 5,000m run. (FREEMAN)