Riding the crest of a sprint doubles triumph Wednesday, 12-year-old Camong delivered as promised a third gold medal by winning the girls’ 50-m dash in record-breaking fashion, joining tankers Miguel Villanueva of the host city and Rizal’s Denjylie Cordero as triple gold medallists.
With heavy rains sparing the rubberized tracks yesterday morning, Camong dashed her way to victory by shattering the old mark of 7.3 seconds recorded by Jasmin Chavez of Laguna in the second edition of the Batang Pinoy in Sta. Cruz with a time of 7.1.
"Tinutupad ko lang ang ipinangako ko sa governor namin sa Bukidnon at sa pamilya ko," said Camong, a Grade 5 student of Calilangan Elementary School and sixth of eight children of farmer Sulpicio and housewife Virginia.
"Hindi umulan kanina (yesterday) kaya nakatakbo ako ng mabuti hindi tulad kahapon (Wednesday) nahirapan akong maka-paspas," added Camong.
Like Camong, thrower Dina Trabucou of Davao del Norte and seven other tankers made it to the elite club of triple gold medal winners the same day swimming records fell like bowling pins.
Trabucou, 12, topped the girls’ discus throw event with a distance of 24.49m, beating Reena Marie Bibera of Cebu City (23.40) and Jennelyn Panayas of Davao del Sur (20.16) to add up to her winnings in the baseball throw and shot put events Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Kimberly Uy and Gian Daniel Berino won their third gold medal yesterday to lead five other new triple gold medal winners, typifying Manila’s domination of the pool events where 13 more marks were shattered.
Uy added the girls’ 100-m freestyle to her gold medals in the 50-m freestyle and 50-m backstroke while Berino captured the 100-m freestyle and 50-m butterfly gold medals to add up to his victory in the 50m freestyle.
Manila, headed by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza’s son Ali, hauled 17 of the 66 swimming gold medals available after it harvested eight more yesterday at the close of the pool events.
Ma. Anna Arabejo, Maxim Quilala, Carmina Quilala, Judith Elizah Cruz and Jose Baylon won a gold medal each, enhancing Manila’s bid of bagging the overall title with a day to go before this annual meet, open to athletes 12 years and below, comes to a close.
Over at the Bacolod Pension Plaza Hotel here, Aaron Krishna Rivas rallied with crucial final round win as he gave Manila its 21st gold medal after ruling the boys’ 12-and-under chess event with a total output of 5.5 points in six rounds.
Other chess winners were Rayelynn Posadas of Bacolod City (girls’ 12-under), Karl Victor Ochoa of Bulacan (boys’ 10-under) and Kimberly Cunanan of Angeles City, Pampanga (girls’ 10 -under).
Century dash winner Joel Carrera of Pangasinan accomplished what he failed to do in the 200-m dash by dominating the boys’ 50-m dash with a time of 6.8 seconds, clearly ahead of Efren Locaylocay of Cebu City (7.094) and Randy Lorica of Albay (7.095).
Carrera failed to make it a sprint doubles win after he was stunned by Bicolano trackster Richard Malate in Wednesday’s rain-drenched rubberized tracks.
Days 6’s other triple gold medal winners were Mariel Infantado of Oriental Mindoro, Michaelmars Danila and Banjo Borja of Laguna, Jan Michael Chiu of Mandaluyong City, and Nerhum Sadeq of Rizal.
Other winners in athletics were Jenny Mahilum of Negros Occidental (girls’ 400-m dash and Ernie Opiana of Albay (boys’ 400-m dash).