Quevedo, Dolar dominate gymnastics

MANILA, Philippines - Returning Christopher Quevedo and national team mainstay Charmaine Dolar showed a lot of verve and class in topping the senior men’s and women’s sports aerobics  event at the close of gymnastics competitions of the POC-PSC National Games at the GAP gym last Saturday.

With less than a week’s practice, Quevedo, who bowed out of the sport to complete his teaching course at the Philippine Normal University, showed he still had the right stuff in topping the men’s division with 18 points.

Former teammate Lester Go settled for runner-up honors with 17.3 points while Marikina’s John Boy Amangas got the bronze (16.8).

“I thought I would not have a chance since I had not been practicing for so long because I wanted to finish my teaching course at PNU,” said the 21-year-old Tandag, Surigao del Sur native. “I’m just happy to have joined and surprisingly still won it.”

Dolar, who was the best Asian performer in the recent Suzuki Cup world sports aerobics championships in Tokyo, Japan, lived up to her billing as the top favorite in winning the women’s division gold with 23.15 points for her second straight triumph following her victory in last year’s event held in Bacolod City.

Teammates Lynette Moreno (20.65) and Jhennylo Gacula (20.6) copped the silver and bronze medal, respectively, in the competition witnessed from start to finish by GAP president Cynthia Carrion.

“Medyo kinakabahan pa rin since magagaling rin naman yong mga teammates ko,” said Dolar, a fourth-year education student at University of the East. “Masarap din naming manalo nito for the the second time.”

Former national pool gymnast Jan Freddielu Betita, 17, took the boys’ age group 2 gold (16.8) while newcomer Austin Domingo topped the boys age group 1 bracket, capturing the gold with a score of 9.5 points.

Calamba City’s Jasmin Yu (15.3)  and Pasay City’s Kelly Dionisio-See (15.65) copped the golds in the girls age group 2 and age group 1, respectively.

GAP secretary general Bettina said since the national gymnastics championships was a ranking tournament “we will use the results of this event as the basis for forming our national teams, particularly in the men’s and women’s artistic, rhythmic and sports aero events.”