Aklan runner hits first gold in Batang Pinoy

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Long distance runner Anton Bautista and long jumper Ailyn Tumbale ruled their respective events to become the meet’s first gold medalists even as Bacolod and Negros Ocidental captured nine golds each in swimming on Day 1 of the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy 2012 Visayas leg at the Leyte Sports Development Center here Wednesday.

The 14-year-old Bautista of Aklan, a high school sophomore at Numancia Integrated School, maintained his pace as his competitors faltered one after the other to take the boys 15-under 5,000-meter run with a time of 18 minutes, 42.7 seconds. Fifteen-year-old teammate Jeolly Gil Saba was on his heels every step of the way to finish second 18:54.0.

Bautista hurt his achilles heel when an opponent accidentally hit him with his spikes in the eighth lap, but the provincial champion shrugged off the pain, keeping pace with the leaders before making his move in the last 100 meters.

‘It’s okay because he said sorry after- ward,’’ said Bautista in Filipino.

Just after Bautista crossed the finish line, 13-year-old Tumbale of Negros Occidental picked the gold medal in girls 13-under long jump with a 4.65-meter leap.

The lanky, 5-foot-7 Tumbale, who is already a Palarong Pambansa champion, used her long limbs and timing in beating Bacolod’s Ericka Kee who mustered 4.46m.

“I’m confident that I can win the event because I’m taller than them,’’ said Tumbale, a seventh grader at Doña Hortencia Sales Benedicto National High School in Filipino. She’s hoping to get her second gold when she competes in triple jump on Thursday.

In the pool, Bacolod churned out a dominating show anchored on sisters Kyla Isabel and Vanessa Gayle Mabus.

Fifteen-year-old Kyla Isabel produced four golds after topping the girls 14-15 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, 200m free.