Dumaguete archer steals show with golden treble

CEBU, Philippines — A sharp-shooting archer from Dumaguete City showed great resilience on the way to a marvelous triple-gold performance, while a promising Cebuana gymnast and two spirited Negrense netters also delivered the goods for Region VII-Central Visayas in Day 3 of the 64th Palarong Pambansa on Saturday, July 13, that saw perennial champions National Capital Region (NCR) surging to the top of the leaderboard with 43 golds, 30 silvers, and 43 bronzes.

After crashing out of medal contention in her first event, the 30-meter category in junior women recurve of archery competition at the South Road Properties (SRP) and settling for only silver in the 50m, Naina Dominique Tagle of Silliman University bounced back with aplomb, clearing her targets with high precision to secure a  golden treble for Region 7 in the 60m and 70m distances and in the 1440 round.

Over at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) gym, St. Benedict Childhood Center student Lillia Sage Dazo reigned supreme in the individual all-around event of elementary Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) to mint another gilt for the host region in the week-long sports conclave for grade school athletes all over the country.

In lawn tennis played at the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, Daivaine Therese Guaran of Tayasan Science High School and Shara Louise Paliwag of Negros Oriental High School proved to be a perfect match as they bested Althea Yzabelle Liwag and Shiloh Louisa Cruz of Central Luzon, 8-3, to clinch gold in secondary girls doubles.

Despite their stellar showing though, Central Visayas is nailed at fourth place in the overall standings with 20 golds, 28 silvers, and 12 bronzes.

In a highly productive day for the region’s bets, Xian James de la Victoria bagged five silvers in the individual all-around, horizontal bar, pommel horse, vault, and floor exercise of elementary Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG). He then teamed up with Nino Joaquim Belicario, and JZ Han Nemil for bronze in the team championship.

At the Cebu City Sports Center, Kleno Mole salvage a pair of silvers in the secondary girls 400m freestyle and 1,500m freestyle of swimming tilt.

Kacie Gabrielle Tionko claimed a silver in the secondary girls 200m individual medley and bronze in 400m freestyle.

Also fishing out silver at the pool were Quiel Noreen Pilayre in the elementary boys 50m breaststroke and in the 4x50m medley relay alongside Dave Kendrick Andersen, Rhonn Michael Lacierda, and Travis Deandre Malnegro.

Jhul Ian Cañalita snatched a double silver in the secondary boys 5,000m run and 3,000m steeple chase of athletics event, while Jormaine Pinanonang chipped in a silver in elementary girls 100m hurdles.

The other silver medalists were Jhamaica Jones Labrador and Marjorie Quirante in table tennis, and Macia Cadenas in elementary girls blitz and in team blitz with Glecy Rose Villarojo.

Niña Mae Khylie de los Reyes chipped in a bronze in the 50m distance of secondary girls archery, in the same way with Andrie Caballes, Cedric Niño Zoilo, Kyrie Eleison Canillo, and Jayvyn Rodriguez in the boys doubles and Etha Nadine Seno and Kimi Brodeth in girls tennis singles.

Kristyn Hope Ruiz  added bronze in elementary girls shot put as well as Davayn Philip Mason in the junior men recurve of archery, and swimmer Marco Juan Sayson in the secondary boys 100m backstroke and in 4x50m freestyle relay alongside  Aaron Wade Gordoncillo, Mike Gabrielle de la Cerna, and Randy Gabriel Lacierda.