USC, UC off to hot starts

CEBU, Philippines – Defending champion University of San Carlos sets the early pace in the elementary division with 15 golds, five silvers, and four bronzes, but rival  University of Cebu took the temporary lead in the secondary level with a 12-11-9 gold-silver-bronze medal count  after Day One of the 24th Cebu City Olympics yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Despite fielding in mostly neophyte entries in elementary swimming, USC managed to fish out more golds at the pool with 11 spiked with a record-breaking performance in the girls 200m medley relay. The rest of their gilts came from the athletics event.

Juan Alberto Suarez Biagan produced USC’s first swim gold via the 200m freestyle with a 2:58.85 clocking. Caroline Doloricon contributed two golds through the 200m freestyle and 50m butterfly, while the Canga siblings bagged a total of three golds. Christian Canga topped the 100m backstroke, while his sister Jannah reigned supreme in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley. The Carolinians claimed another gold in the boys 200m medley relay.

In athletics, USC's decorated trackster Mary Joy Loberanis defended her 1,500m title with the time of five minutes and 18.94 seconds, while Karl Benedict Urbano triumphed in the boys side in 5:23.44. Adler John Gomez won the shotput gold with a distance of 7.59m, while Maria Althea Chloe Piza ruled the girls 400m hurdles in 1:24.96.

USC is trailed by UC in the elementary standings with three golds through the efforts of swimmer Jobert Indaya followed by Unit 1 with one gold, seven silvers and seven bronzes.

In the secondary level, however, UC pulled ahead of USC by just one gold. UC hauled a dozen golds laced with 11 silvers and nine bronzes, while USC posted 11 golds, five silvers and eight bronzes to set up the stage of a close battle for the overall supremacy.

UC's bemedalled tanker Michael Ichiro Kong shattered two swim records to further highlight his golden treble. After clocking in 4:40.62 to erase the 2003 mark of Jose Dizon in the 400m freestyle at 4:43.69, he went on to eclipse the 1998 record of Andrei Yosef Ynclino at 2:23.36 in the 200m butterfly with a 2:19.41 clocking. UC also carved a record in the girls  200m medley relay with the time of 2:25.86.

UC's other swimming golds were delivered by Karen Mae Indaya with two and Lindsay Anne Gonzales. UC's last gold came from the girls 400m medley relay.

UC also snatched five golds in athletics through Elyzza Mae Salinas in the 100m run, Jan Moses Estrada and Kim Obuta in shotput and Jun Mitchelle Dawa and Camylle Psalm Masota in the 400m hurdles.

USC scooped four golds in swimming courtesy of Razel Cabajar and Junvic Tiro and its boys 400m and 200m medley relay, which came in record-setting fashion.

In athletics, USC picked up golds from Stephen Pekitpekit and Nina Marie Antiola in high jump,  Paul Gorgonio in hurdles, Ivan Santos in the boys 1,500m and 5,000m run, and Linley Cardenas in the girls 1,500m run.

A far third in the secondary standings is Unit 4 with 2-3-1 medal tally followed by Unit 6 with two golds and a bronze and Unit 1 with one gold, two silvers and as many bronzes. (FREEMAN)