Olympian’s cousin makes golden lift: Zambo lifters dominate B Pinoy

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Mary Flor Diaz stepped out of the shadows of  first cousin and Olympian Hidilyn Diaz with a golden lift that powered Zamboanga City to major victories in weightlifting Thursday in the Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commissioner Batang Pinoy 2012 Visayas leg at the Leyte Sports Development  Center here.

Diaz lifted 42 kg in snatch, 55kg in clean and jerk for a 97 kg total to claim the girls 40kg category top prize in weightlifting event which served as national finals. Teammate Ma. Dessa Delos Santos took silver with a 37-47-84 lift.

It was actually the second gold for Zamboanga City which also got a victory from Margareth Colonia who ruled the girls above-44kg class with a 50-61-111 lift. Patricia Nina Gregorio, another ZC lifter,  came in second with lifts of  48-58-106.

“I’m expecting to win because I trained very hard for this,’’ said the 13-year-old

Diaz in Filipino. She is the youngest and only girl in a brood of four who grew up in a family all involved in the sport. “We have bar bells at home and everybody is lifting.’’

The high school sophomore from Universidad de Zamboanga, who is a double gold winner in the Philippine National Games and silver winner in Palarong Pambansa, is bannering her team’s 11-man weightlifting squad here in the week-long meet for 15-year-olds and younger and hosted by the Province of Leyte.

Bohol also grabbed a piece of weightlifting spotlight when Ma. Paula Lanit and Elien Rose Perez ruled their respective events. Lanit, 12, raised 25-32-57 for girls 36kg gold, while Perez had 50-61-111 for the girls 44kg diadem.

Leyte Sports Academy flexed its muscles in track and field, garnering nine gold medals, four of them in boys and girls relay events.

LSA’s Karen Janario clocked 20.7 seconds to top the girls 13-under 100-meter hurdles, while teammate Melissa Escoton timed 16.9 seconds to rule the girls 14-15 division. The hosts also annexed the golds in 1,500m run events with Aldrin Hermosilla winning the boys 13-under, Feiza Jane Lenton in girls 13-under and Lyra Baytan in girls 14-15.

Last year’s national champion Mary Diesto of Bacolod reigned once again in the girls 14-15 long jump, while teammate Errick Empio claimed the boys 14-15 110m hurdles top honor.

In tennis held at Apitong Tennis Club, top seed Janna Marie Pages of Cebu City downed Ma. Delrose Duran of Leyte, 8-6, to barge into the girls singles finals. She will go up against Mary Joy Calapre of Maasin City who advanced via 8-5 win over Shyne Villareal of Cebu City.

Over at the Capitol Gym, Mandaue brought four boxers into the semifinals. Jomar Caspe defeated Domingo Oldem of Northen Samar on points in Kids antweight. Joining him in the next round are his teammates Romel Tunacao who outpointed Danrick Sumabong of Tagbilaran City in schoolboys light paperweight; Marco Pomar who beat Dick Espinola of Northern Samar on points in schoolboys paperweight; and Rhezon Tarona who edged Jeramil Rafaeles of Leyte A via RSC in schoolboys light pinweight.

Also advancing were Diether Casida of Leyte in kids antweight, Leo Domingo Napuli of Maasin City in schoolboys paperweight, John Lloyd Transporte of Cebu City in schoolboys paperweight, Augustine Chinedo Augustine Nworji of Leyte B in schoolboys light pinweight, and Mario Bautista Jr., of Negros Occidental in schoolboys light pinweight.