Lim, Punzalan top gymnastics in nat'l games

MANILA, Philippines - Christopher Allen Lim and Khristel Marriel Punzalan topped the junior boys and girls events of the artistic gymnastics competitions of the POC-PSC National Games at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum last Thursday.

Lim exploited the absence of Palarong Pambansa quadruple gold medallist Carlos Yulo, who skipped the meet because of fever, in capturing the  gold medals in the parallel bars and pommel horse, all-around  and a pair of silvers in the vault and floor exercise in the boys juniors division.

The 14-year-old UE high school sophomore from Muntinlupa City topscored with 11.7, 10.3 points, and 46.5 points, respectively, in the parallel bars and pommel horse in his best performance yet since winning a bronze medal in the 2007 Palaro in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Manila’s Jan Gwyn Timbing likewise picked up two golds in the floor exercise (12.025) and parallel bars (11.7) and vault (13.150), a silver in the parallel bars (10.725) and bronze in the all-around (42.138) in the event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and organized by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines.

A triple gold medalist in last week’s Palaro held in Lingayen, Pangasinan, Punzalan overcame left-ankle sprain in winning the floor exercise (11.35) and also secured the balance beam gold (9.25) and won the silver in the all-around (36.763), which was won by Raya Ermita Nazario (40.463).

Nazario also took the vault  gold (11.73), Punzalan was second (11.38) while Rachelle Frias Arellano took third (11.33).

National team mainstay Fortunato Abad dominated the boys senior division in sweeping the floor exercise (13.75),  pommel horse (9.225), parallel bars (12.575), vault (14.044) and all-around (49.594).

Eunice Evangelista was also dominant in the girls senior division with victories in the floor exercise (10.97), uneven bars (7.65) and the all-around events (38.8), while Cristina Flores Onofre took the balance beam (9.9) and vault (11.725) title and took runner-up honors in the all-around (32.6).

Scheduled yesterday were the junior and senior rhythmic competitions.