Anor sweeps swim events in PNG Mindanao elims

PAGADIAN, Philippines – Christian Paul Anor extended his monopoly in the boys division while Regine Lombrino emerged as the  most bemedalled athlete on the distaff side at the close of the swimming competitions of the POC-PNG Philippine National Games Mindanao eliminations here yesterday.

After picking up six golds last Friday, Anor sustained his top form in sweeping all of his nine events, starting the day with a win in the 200-meter individual medley with a time of two minutes, 25.88 seconds at the PGC Sports Arena pool.

The Balanga, Davao Oriental native closed out his dominant outing with victories in the 50-meter backstroke (29.27) and 50-meter freestyle races (25.91) in the competition organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee.

Virtually coming out of nowhere, Lombrino stamped her class in the women’s division by ruling four events, boosting her overall tally to six golds and three silvers at the end of the two-day swimfest supported by the Zamboanga del Sur provincial government led by Gov. Antonio Cerilles.

Lombrino, who did not even win a single medal in the last Palarong Pambansa held in Tagum, Lanao del Norte, took the  200-meter (3:08.73) and 400-meter individual medley (6:31.16), 800-meter freestyle (11:39.37) on top of anchoring the General Santos City squad to victory in the 200-meter freestyle relay (2:14.71).

She earlier won the 400-meter freestyle, 100-meter backstroke and 50-meter butterfly and took runner-up honors in the 100 and 200-meter freestyle and 50-meter backstroke of the meet serving as one of the highlights of the province’s 63rd founding anniversary.

“Hindi po namin inakala na ma-sweep ni Christian yong kanyang mga events,” said Anor’s coach, Emilio Vistal Lim, a full-time policeman and former swimmer who started handling the athlete four years ago. “Malaking oportunidad ito sa bata.”

Rafael Guevarra, Lombrino’s coach, was also pleasantly surprised by the prolific performance of his ward, whose parents are mere peanut vendors, saying,” naging determinado lang yong bata para makatulong sa mga magulang.”

Guevarra said the General Santos City Council  gave incentives to the swimmers who brought home medals, with the gold medalist getting P1,500, the silver medalist P1,000 and bronze medalist P500 each.

This meant that Lombrino, a Grade 9 student at the New Society National High School,  earned P12,000 for her efforts here.

Zamboanga City’s Shermalyn Jalmaani sputtered on the second day and failed to garner more golds after bagging four the previous day.

The youngest daughter of Asian Games and Olympic veteran Amman Jalmaani, she could only muster silver-medal finishes in the 200-meter breaststroke and 4x50-meter freestyle and a bronze medal in the 50-meter freestyle events.

PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez reminded the medalists at the closing ceremonies of the swimming competition that all of them would be vying in the POC-PNG national finals scheduled in April next year in Manila.

Over at the Pagadian City oval, Palarong Pambansa triple gold medalist Jieann Calis began her assault, winning the girls 800-meter run in 2:34 way below her personal best of 2:12.27 due to the track conditions.

The 16-year-old Plaridel, Misamis Oriental native will be gunning for her second gold in the 1,500 meters today.  

In chess, hometown bet Joel Fernan of Pagadian City and Davao City’s Mary Jonah Lequin ruled the men’s and women’s rapid events, respectively.