Laguna tankers, judokas shine in POF

LOS BAÑOS – Laguna flexed its muscles in swimming and judo as it set the pace in the Bicol-Southern Tagalog qualifying leg of the third Philippine Olympic Festival at the University of the Philippines here.

Banjo Borja seized three of Laguna’s six golds at the Trace Aquatics Center, all of them three triple A swims in the 100-meter freestyle, 100m back and the 400-meter individual medley for boys 15 and over.

The 16-year-old tanker from San Pablo also ripped the old POF record of Naga City’s Michael Mars Danila (4:56.13) last year with a 4:48.43-second swim in the 400m IM.

Borja, who won seven gold medals in the national championships last year, clocked 57.70 seconds in the 100m free to defeat Puerto Princesa City’s Jeron Mercader (57.07) and Wilfredo Sunglao (57.35) of Naga City.

The Liceo de San Pablo senior high schooler subdued Mercader again in the 100m back in 1:03.09 seconds for gold. Mercader settled for his second silver in 1:04.39 and Camarines Sur’s Juan Pantilla copped the bronze (1:06.12).

Christine Grace Tan of Batangas also sparkled after winning three golds on the first day of swimming competitions and breaking two POF records in the girls’ 15 and over 100m free and 400m IM.

“I wasn’t aware of the records. I just wanted to swim to improve my clockings,’’ said Tan, who won 13 golds in last year’s BST qualifying and has 10 more events coming.

Tan, 15, erased the old mark of 1:03.97 set by Quezon City’s Louise Sarmiento last year after clocking 1:01.06 in the 100m free of the event sponsored by Pagcor, ACCEL, Globe, Negros Navigation, The Philippine Star, Summit Mineral Water and Creativity Lounge.

Three hours later, the comely Tan smashed another mark with a 5:22.70 swim in the 400m IM, replacing last year’s record of 5:37.15 registered by Erika Visitacion of Parañaque City.

The national pool mainstay also posted triple A times on both record-breaking feats apart from her golden performance in the 100m backstroke.

Tan clocked 1:12.01 to defeat Laguna’s Julie Joy Delas Alas (1:19.80) and Carine Borjal of Cam Sur (1:24.15).

Laguna struck five golds in judo courtesy of Pocholo Leoncio (men’s open), Camille Santos (women’s open), Niko Niño Briones (-60kg), John Leoncio (-81kg) and Richman Rodriguez (-66kg) to increase its haul to 37 gold medals, 22 silvers and nine bronzes.

The province also grabbed the gold in girls’ volleyball with a 25-18, 25-20 victory over host UPLB and had three unbeaten chessers with two victories each in chess.

UPLB got back at Laguna by taking the boys’ volleyball gold with a 25-18, 25-21 triumph and ruled basketball after pulling off a 58-36 win over the province. Victories by UPLB, however, were not included in the medal standings.

Ana Margarita (girls under-14), Rochell Espina (girls’ 20-under) and Michaela Angeline Fajardo (girls’ open) scored two straight victories in chess for Laguna, whose lead over Camarines Sur, Rizal and Quezon in the tally doubled overnight.