Hidilyn’s niece wins Batang Pinoy gold

MANILA, Philippines — A niece of Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, an Olympian swimmer’s protégé and a Palarong Pambansa record-breaker delivered the worthiest performances yesterday in the Batang Pinoy in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Reynaldine Jimenez, hoping to follow the footsteps of her weightlifting champion aunt, took the gold in the children’s girls’ 40kg division with a total lift of 102kg – 43 in snatch and 59 in clean and jerk.

Pasig’s Alvin Taguinota, whose coach is Olympic swimmer Jessie Lacuna, claimed his third mint in the boys 12-13 200-meter backstroke where he clocked two minutes and 19.88 seconds.

Garra, who broke a Palarong Pambansa mark in Cebu last July, added gold No. 3 in the girls’ 12-13 200m back in 2:30.00 to join Taguinota as the first triple gold winner in this weeklong meet bankrolled by the PSC.