Aloot, Tudio cop five swimming golds each
CAGAYAN DE ORO — Ralph Ian Aloot and Tiara Tudio of Koronadal City splashed their way to five gold medals each in swimming competition yesterday to become two of four quintuple gold medalists in the Mindanao qualifying leg of the second Philippine Olympic Festival at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Complex.
Aloot, 12, topped the 50-meter, 100m and 1500m freestyle and 200m and 400m individual medley while Tudio, 13, ruled the 200-meter and 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly and 50m and 100m freestyle with more expected to come their way with a day left in the pool events.
Mikaela Bochorno, 11, and Jennifer Ortiz, 13, joined Aloot and Tudio in the elite group of five-gold medal winners by reigning supreme in rhythmic gymnastics over at Sports Zone in this bustling city.
Bochorno, a Grade 5 student at Dadiangas West Central School, snared the mints in the hoop, rope, ball, ribbon and all-around events while Ortiz, a freshman at the Holy Trinity School of General Santos, made her mark in rope, hoop, ribbon, club and all-around.
For Tudio, it was a fitting birthday gift.
“It’s a nice way to celebrate my 13th birthday, I’m really happy,” said a giggling Tudio, a first year high school student at Notre Dame Sienna School of Marbel who snared a gold, silver and bronze in last summer’s Palarong Pambansa back home.
“I hope I’ll win more gold medals,” said Aloot, a Grade 6 student at Notre Dame of Marbel.
The day also belonged to the General Santos six-man gymnastics squad, which swept all the 18 gold medals staked at the mat to power its way to the solo lead in the overall standings with a total haul of 30 gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze medals in this weeklong meet backed by The Philippine STAR, Globe, Accel, AMA Computer College, Asia Brewery, Negros Navigation, Dragon Works and Creativity Lounge.
Reinette Elorta and Emilio Pono accounted for three gold medals each in artistic gymnastics while brothers Aristotle Benian and Roel Benian Jr. had one gold apiece to complete General Santos’ romp at the mat.
Zamboanga dished out strong efforts in medal-rich athletics and swimming events to move up to second place with a 22-gold, 12-silver and 17-bronze medal haul.
Joy delos
Delos Santos matched the number of gold medals copped by Koronadal’s Roxanne Jane Loria, who snatched four gold medals in archery.
In muay, Misamis Oriental pocketed four with wins by Roberto Jalnaiz Jr. (below 42 kiograms), Jay Divinagracia (fly), Jonathan Polosan (light welter) and Raphael Jalnaiz.
Zamboanga also stole some of the thunder by bagging three courtesy of VB Villaflor (pin), Mark Errol Bosque (bantam) and Jan Ladz Pierre Abtuh (light).
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