Tibayan caps N Ecija reign in CLRAA boxing

IBA, Zambales, Philippines  – Palarong Pambansa bronze medalist Ariel Tibayan scored a sensational first-round technical knockout win over Jonathan Aguas of Tarlac City to power Nueva Ecija to the overall title in secondary boxing of the 2012 Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) at the Peoples Park here on Thursday.

Bets from Angeles City, meanwhile, scooped six gold medals on the final day of swimming competitions at the Zambales Sports Complex to emerge as the best swimming delegation in terms of gold medals harvested.

After a dominating show in gymnastics, CLRAA defending champion Bulacan flexed its might in elementary taekwondo in nearby Botolan town with five gold medals.

The 15-year-old Tibayan bloodied the nose of Aguas with a solid right straight, forcing the Tarlac bet to quit in the pinweight division.

“I am stronger now because of my rigorous training,” said Tibayan, who ruled the division for the third straight year.

A junior at the Nueva Ecija National High School, Tibayan now trains his sights on the Palarong Pambansa in Pangasinan where he hopes to improve on his third place finish last year.

Regelio Astudillo (light mosquito), Glerence Cuyapen (mosquito) and Verael Angelo dela Cruz (light flyweight) also bagged gold medals as Nueva Ecija extended its reign in secondary boxing to seven years.