Oranza, Lim rule PNG cycling

MANILA, Philippines - Cycling’s rising stars Ronald Oranza and Rustom Lim continued to humble the fancied riders as they finished 1-2 in the individual time trial in Tarlac City even as national team mainstays stamped their class in other fronts and beat the young aspirants in the PSC-POC Phl National Games yesterday.

Representing LBC-MVP Sports Foundation’s national youth squad, Oranza bagged the gold in 47 minutes, 15.3 seconds, while Lim took the silver in 48:21.6 and Roadbike Phls’ Baler Ravina clocked 48:46.5 for the bronze.

It was another solid performance by the LBC-MVPSF riders as Lim, Oranza, Denver Casayuran and Mark Bonzo swept the first four places in the 151.4km road race Wednesday.

“We maintain that the National Games are to decide the deserving athletes not only in cycling but in all the sports,” said LBC-MVPSF team manager Mo Chulani. “That’s why the games are played and supported by the private companies.”

Tanker Jessie Lacuna, a 19-year-old 2012 London Olympics veteran, racked up three gold medals in the 100m and 400m free and 200m backstroke at the Rizal Swimming Pool.

The Pulillan, Bulacan native, who had won six golds in Bacolod City in 2011 and five in Dumaguete last year, clocked four minutes, 7.86 seconds in the 400m free, 53.15 seconds in the 100m free and 2:18.59 in the 200m back to boost his bid for a nine-gold haul in the three-day event.

“I hope to win nine gold medals here,” said Lacuna, who will also compete in the 200m free and 400m individual medley today, and 100m fly, 200m IM, 50m free and 100m breast tomorrow. 

In billiards, Iris Ranola, who won the 9-ball and 8-ball golds in the 2011 Palembang SEAG, stopped Zamboanga City’s 13-year-old sensation Cheska Centeno with a pulsating 9-7 win.

“She’s a strong player with a bright future,” said Ranola in Filipino referring to Centeno, who stunned SEAG veteran and former World Pool 9-ball runner up Rubilen Amit not just once but twice, 7-6, in the group matches and 7-4 in the semis.

Billiards icon Efren “Bata” Reyes, competing in snooker, lost to SEAG veteran Reynaldo Grandea in the 3-cushion gold medal match in a heartbreaker of a 38-40 defeat.

“It happens, that’s life,” said Reyes, who played chess against a fellow competitor during the break.

Over at the Rizal Weightlifting Center, two-time Olympian Hidilyn Diaz took the snatch gold with lifts of 100kg, 123-kg and 223kg that shattered the SEAG record of 90-105-195 posted by Cecil Atilano in the 2007 Thailand Games.

In athletics, Arnel Ferrera heaved 42.61m to pocket the gold in discus throw. He earlier topped the hammer throw event at the Philsports Oval in Pasig City.

Other national pool members who won were Fely Dollos of Runs For Change, who topped the triple jump in 11.78 m, and Rafael Poliquit, who ruled the men’s 5k in 15.21.

In lawn tennis, top seed Marian Jade Capadocia clipped upset-conscious Edlyn Balanga, who shocked No. 2 Clarice Patrimonio, 6-4, 7-6 (4), Wednesday, to clinch the gold with a 6-3, 6-0 romp.

In wrestling at the Robinsons Place-Manila, national elite athletes Margariot Angana and Jason Balabal ruled the Greco-Roman 55kgs and 84kgs events, respectively.

Other wrestling winners were Jose Romulo Terio of Zamboanga (66kgs), Ismael Trazona (74kgs), Noel Norada of Quezon City (60kgs), Erwin Marinas (96kgs) of Mindanao, and Abdonavin Gharibi of Mandaluyong (120kgs).

In the women’s freestyle, Kristine Jambora (44kgs), Maribel Angara (51kgs), Richelle Piollo (48kgs), Minalyn Foy-os (55kgs), Ma. Cristina Vergara (59kgs) and Marirose Marinas (63kgs) were the other winners.

In boxing at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Gerson Nietes, cousin of current WBO lightweight champion Donnie, humbled fellow national pool member and World Youth champion Jade Borneo, 23-15, to advance to the gold medal round.