Camero, Ang Palaro golden girls

BACOLOD CITY — When this year’s CHED (Commission on Higher Education) National Palaro comes to a close today, those representing the National Capital Region will definitely celebrate.

But still, it’ll be two female athletes, a trackster from Ilocos Region and a tanker from Central Visayas, who will stand out from the rest.

Russel Camero, of Pangasinan, and Larissa Ann Ang, of Cebu, bagged their third individual gold medals yesterday as athletics and swimming competitions ended at the Panaad Sports Complex.

Under a gray sky and after a morning drizzle, Camero won the 200-m race in 26.44 seconds. Closely behind were Nechelle Adojo of S. Mindanao (26.46) and 100-m gold medalist Josephine delos Reyes of NCR (26.48).

Camero came short of the standing 200-m record of 25.78 but will still go home with two new meet records under her name. She set the records in winning the 400-m and 800-m golds Sunday and Monday.

"I’m tired," said the 19-year-old student from Pangasinan as she was relaxing up in the stands along with her teammates. "But I’m happy with my three gold medals."

Ang got her own show going at the nearby pool. She won the 400-m freestyle in 5:10.91, a couple of strokes ahead of Izah Jane Sueno of NCR (5:14.58) and way ahead of Veronica Paloma of W. Visayas (5:32.78).

A pretty 18-year-old, Ang won the golds in the 200-m butterfly (2:39.05) and the 800-m freestyle (10:43.87) Monday. In the 200-m fly, she matched the meet record set by NCR’s Marjorie Palumbarit here in 1998.

"I hope this continues," said Ang who hopes of making it to the national team like elder sister Lynette, a former RP team member who won a bronze medal in the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games.

Like Ang, also making heads turn at the Panaad venue was Loida Abarquez, a tall, tan, young and lovely athlete from C. Visayas who won the gold in the women’s triple jump at 10.91 meters.

With still a handful of gold to be disputed today in basketball, badminton, football and volleyball, the NCR bets are assured of the overall crown with their current haul of 33 gold (mostly in athletics and swimming), 28 silver and 18 bronze medals.

Ilocos Region has five gold (three of them by Camero) two silver and three bronze medals for second followed by S. Mindanao (4-9-7), Calabarzon (4-6-6), C. Visayas (4-2-7), Cordillera Administrative Region (3-2-3), deposed champion W. Visayas (2-2-7), W. Mindanao (2-0-1), Cotabato (1-1-3), Bicol (0-3-1) and finally Central Luzon with a bronze.

The last time the CHED National Palaro was held here in 1998, W. Visayas was crowned overall champion and was followed closely by NCR. With a lot more events then, W. Visayas won 76 gold, 28 silver and 49 bronze medals against NCR’s 74-54-44. C. Visayas was third with 21-30-29.

To dispute this year’s cage gold are NCR and powerhouse C. Visayas. It will also be NCR, this time against W. Visayas, in the football final, and again NCR, against C. Visayas, in men’s volleyball.

The semifinals in women’s volleyball and women’s softball were being played as of presstime.

A total of six swimming records were set this year: those by Lovelyn Tuatis of NCR in women’s 400-IM (5:48.62), Roman Borja of NCR in men’s 100-m free (55.56) and 200-m free (2:07.96), Josephine Jamora of Calabarzon in women’s 100-fly (1:11.30), Frances Sapinoso of NCR in women’s 100-m free (1:07.37), and the NCR team in women’s 4 x 100 medley (5:07.64).