Young kayaker, netter seize day in National Games

MANILA, Philippines - Young kayaker Rosalyn Esguerra and netter AJ Lim seized the spotlight with upset victories at the resumption of the 2013 Philippine Sports Commission National Games yesterday.

Esquerra, 14, pulled the rug from under double-gold medal winner Janeth Escallona in the women’s touring kayak 500-meter event with a clocking of three minutes, 25.93 seconds, gaining top podium finish in the event being used to determine national team rosters for this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

Escallona, who pocketed the 5,000m touring kayak and dragon boat tandem events Friday, settled for the 500m silver medal at 3:42.11 with Noelle Wenceslao, a former Mount Everest climber, claiming the bronze at 3:58.26.

“I began paddling when I was 10 years old with my mother bringing me to practices of the national team where she served as cook,” said Esquerra.

“Coach Len (Escollante) tried me and she told me I had the potential to make the team,” added the Palanas, Masbate native.

Lim, one of the country’s fastest rising netters, drubbed Juan Gabriel Peña, 6-2, 6-1, to barge into the quarterfinal alongside Johnny Arcilla, PJ Tierro and Marc Reyes.

Arcilla advanced on a walkover win over Jaime Aguilar, Tierro slammed Jarryd Manduriao, 6-1, 6-0, and Reyes smashed Jose Nicholas Cano, 6-1, 6-0.

Also striking gold was Regie Palatao, who beat Galang twins Edward (2:53.14 )and Edgar (2:54.29.)  in the men’s touring 500-m kayak with a time of 2:44.71.

“I was surprised I beat them (Galang twins) because they’ve been in the national team longer than me,” said Palatao, a proud son of Quirino province.

The cycling event originally set in Las Piñas yesterday and today was reset to May 29 and 30 in Tarlac.

In gymnastics, Fil-Am Ava Verdeflor, from University of Texas, topped the floor exercise, uneven bars and balance beams in the juniors’ division for girls.

Over at the Rizal Memorial Diamond, Philab trounced Air Force, 3-0, Phl Youth flattened Adamson, 7-0, and Marikina City edged La Salle, 6-4, in baseball.

In powerlifting, the winners were Zest Power Gym’s Letecia Mangcao (47 kg) and Anita Koykka (53kg) and the University of the Philippines’ Leslie Evangelista (57-84kg).