Tankers’ 24-gold haul gives Big City solo lead

Host Manila drowned the opposition with a spectacular performance in the swimming events yesterday to jump into the solo overall lead in Day 5 of the first MY Games National Invitational at the Rizal Memorial Pool.

Kristian Libat and Apryl Herrera claimed a pair of gold medals apiece as the Big City bets earned 24 of the 46 gold medals staked in the first day of the pool competition to leave the rest of the pack in the race for the overall title.

Libat, 16, ruled the 400-meter freestyle and the 100-m butterfly events for 15-17-year-old boys while Herrera, 16, topped the 400-m freestyle and 100-m butterfly for 15-17-year-old girls in this meet presented by Globe and backed by Pagcor, San Miguel, PAL, Super Ferry, Milo, Unilever, Land Bank, Speedo, Red Bull, Isuzu, Intrasports and Concept Movers.

Tankers from Laguna and Parañaque came with hauls of seven and five gold medals, respectively, but in today’s second day of the event, expect Manila to scoop up the bulk of the 38 gold medals staked in the day.

Brothers Julius and Jonathan Rarela led the charge for the Laguna bets by combining for three gold medals.

The 14-year-old Julius copped the 100-m fly and 200-m Individual Medley gold medals while the younger Jonathan, 11, snatched the 50-m breaststroke gold.

The 11-year-old Jasmine Al-Khaldi, for her part, spearheaded the attack for the Parañaque swim team with a win in the 100-m butterfly with a time of a minute and 12.85 seconds. She bested two Manila bets in Edlyn Son and Chiekie Agngarayngay with times of 1:18.72 and 1:21.56, respectively.

Laguna, however, proved steadier than Manila in athletics as the former seized three gold medals courtesy of Angel Balatbat (12-and-under), Ma. Cecilia Constantino (13-15) and Jasmine Chavez (16-17), all in the 100-m dash at the wet and grassy University of Santo Tomas tracks.

Quezon City, for its part, cornered two gold medals, thanks to Normala Mangotara and Ralph Anthony Servidad. Mangotara reigned supreme in the 13-15 3,000-m steeplechase while Servidad topped the 13-15 100-m.

Frejelyn Roncales accounted for the Big City bets’ lone gold by topping the girls’ 16-17 year-old century dash.

Other winners were Muntinlupa’s Roy Odulio (12-and-under 100-m), Baguio’s John Peligrinto (13-15 100-m) and Tanuan’s Jonel Nonez (16-17 100-m).