Verdadero completes athletics 4-gold haul

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Philippines – Veruel Verdadero ruled the 200m dash to complete not just a sprint double but a rare four-gold haul in centerpiece athletics of the 2016 Batang Pinoy National Championship at the DavNor Sports and Tourism Complex here yesterday.

Verdadero, who hails from Pasig but competes for Dasmariñas, Cavite, bucked a hamstring injury to beat Iloilo Province’s Vince Buhayan and Iligan City’s Earl Limpag with a 23.29-second clocking in the boys’ 13-15 bracket to emerge the games’ winningest trackster.

The 15-year-old Grade 9 Immaculate Conception student also dominated the century dash last Tuesday and topped the 400m run Wednesday before anchoring the team’s victory in the 4x100m relay.

He didn’t attempt for No. 5 in the 4x400m relay so as not to aggravate his injury.

Without him, his team lost.

“I didn’t join (my fifth event) anymore because I’m worried that I might further injure my hamstrings,” said Verdadero, who also swept the sprint races and bagged a silver in 400m run in last year’s Batang Pinoy in Cebu.

Verdadero, whose father Emmanuel is a family driver in Pasig and mother Rosario a baby-sitter in Bataan, said his next goal is to make the national team.

“I was told that if I did well here, I will join the team, hopefully in the Southeast Asian youth track event in Isabela next year,” said Verdadero, who is expected to receive P10,000 for each gold he won from Dasmariñas, Cavite Mayor Elpidio Barzaga Jr.

Other track and field winners were Kenneth Corpuz of South Cotabato (boys’ 16-17 200m), Gianeli Gatinga of Taguig City (girls’ 16-17 triple jump), Gim Pel Ablona (girls’ 16-17 javelin throw), Edwin Giron Jr. of Dasmariñas (boys’ 16-17 800m), Marisol Amarga (girls’ 16-17 800m), Raul Payon of Koronadal City (boys’ 13-15 800m) and Bernalyn Bejoy of Negros Occidental (girls’ 13-15 800m).

Dasmariñas, Cavite also came through with victories in other fronts with Kylen Joy Mordido winning the girls’ 13-17 and Daniel Quizon clinching the boys’ U-12 golds in classical chess.

Mordido tallied 6.5 points, edging Cebu City’s Glybel Quinanola with six points and Misamis Oriental’s Me Ann Joy Baclayon with 5.5 points.

Quizon, on the other hand, finished tied for first with Jasaan, Misamis Oriental’s Clyde Harris Saraos, Pasig’s Mark Jay Bacojo, Cebu’s Jave Mareck Peteros and General Santos’ Haein Angelito Aparte with 5.5 points but ended up with the highest Buccholz tiebreak score of 31.5 to clinch the gold.

Saraos and Bacojo settled for silver and bronze, respectively.

Baguio City dominated taekwondo with six gold medals courtesy of light middleweight John Kim Passion, welterweight Aila Mathel Calip, light middle Realis Lorean Tabiando, light heavy Angel Dy, heavyweight Ashley Janel Salao and welterweight Kristian Mamitag.

Patrick Marco Dedel (bantamweight), light middle Laizel Abucay, flyweight Purcia Ang and bantam Giodanni Bruz Benedicto gave Cagayan de Oro four golds while featherweight Rubio Marco, middle weight Xela Daprenine Paulengco, bantam Catryn Balin and lightweight Rryshell Ramirez delivered four gold medals for Bulacan.

Cebu City struck in karatedo where Aubrey Codilla (girls’ 12-13), Justin Ayra Azur (girls’ 10-11), Jisha Zhyra Azur (girls’ 8-9), Nicholas Arthur Avila (boys’ 12-13) and Joseph Casquejo (boys’ 11-12) carted away five gold medals.

Milagrace Balan (girls’ 16-17), Vanessa Rojas (girls’ 14-15) and Jeremiah Sarabia (boys’ 16-17) topped their respective brackets for Zamboanga City while Villanueva, Misamis Oriental snatched two on victories by Rodel Maagad (boys’ novice 16-17) and Christian Contiga (boys’ novice 14-15).

Zamboanga City bared its fangs in pencak silat, pocketing five golds in the tanding, the discipline’s combat event. 

Ralph Ungaya (boys’ 37-40kg), Jerome Negapatan (40-43kg), Hannah Leano (girls’ 43-46kg), Carlo Danag (boys’ 39-43kg) and Nefertitri Ontolan (boys’ 47-51kg) accounted for its victories.

Davao City leaned on Abigail Mesiona (girls’ 34-37), Issiah Noel Arcenas (boys’ 46-49kg), Jerome Pajaron Jr. (55-58kg) and Chad Levin Herrera (61-64kg) for its share of triumphs.