Cebuano athletes continue to make waves in PNG

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebuano athletes continued to make an impression in various fronts in the POC-PSC Philippine National Games held at different venues in Manila yesterday.

Irendin Lepatan, Cebu's lone entry in pencak silat, grabbed gold and silver medals in her events played at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) gym. She beat Daisy Rose Hellares of West Visayas, 5-0, to lord it over in the women's 45-50 kgs. tanding. She also plucked a silver in the juros tunggal or forms.

Jugih Llant, on the other hand, had a golden performance in the junior men's double 70-recurve. He also snatched bronze in team event along with Julius Ramos and Michael Solier.

In judo staged at the Amoranto Stadium, Joaquin Fernandez settled for only bronze in the 66 kgs. and below category. He lost to Team Phl mainstay Lloyd Dennis Catipon, but bounced back against De La Salle's Keith Ver for the bronze.

The Cebuano paddlers, for their part, swept the medals at stake in the liha event of table tennis also at Amoranto, with Richard Gonzales winning the gold. Tata Carreon wound up with silver, while Geofrey Apas and Berto Bas claimed a bronze.

Gonzales, who was lined up with LOPTTA, also snared  gold in the men's team competition of the regular table tennis action.

In karatedo, the Cebuano bets ended their quest with four golds, one silver and six bronzes at the Sta.Lucia East Grand Mall.

Marjorie Villareal led the charge with two individual golds via the 16-17 years old kata competition and in the junior -48 kgs. kumite.

Tracy Lynn Basalo won gold in the 16-under kata, while Nina Bacalao and Alynn Sabido, both from Mandaue, got one bronze each. Mandaue also minted gold in the women's team kata, while its male counterparts settled for bronze.

Karla Katrina Lim ended up with a  silver in the women's kumite -68 and +68 class, while Gwen Poteros got a bronze in the junior -48 kgs. class and in the team kumite along with Alhexis Enad, Irish Pacada and April Mae Campo.

Arnisador Enguito Senillo also made his presence felt with a bronze medal in the anyo-single weapon at the Pasay gym.

Trackster Daniel Noval came up with a silver in the senior 100m run with the time of 10.93 seconds, three seconds behind Sabah's Eddie Edward Jr.. Julius Felicisimo Nierras Jr. also grabbed a silver in the 400m run.

Earlier, Karen Sthea Velez, who is planning to quit gymnastics after the PNG, came up with two golds and two silvers. Her golds all came through the senior division's ball and hoop. He finished with a silver medal in the clubs.

Kimberly Paler picked up two silvers via the junior division's individual all-around and ribbon and a bronze in the the ball, while Eunice Odag had two bronzes through the ball and clubs.

Carmelli Garovillo could only get two bronzes through the senior individual all-around and in the ribbon as AJ Melgar snatched bronze in the junior individual all-around. (FREEMAN)