CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Palarong Pambansa’s sleeping giant has awakened.
After dozing off in the first few days, the Big City went on a gold medal rampage and struck in various fronts, including swimming where Sophia Rose Garra was a mermaid, and gymnastics where Iza Yulo was a dynamo, to seize the overall lead yesterday.
Garra, a protégé of Olympian Jenny Guerrero, set a new mark in the elementary girls’ 50-meter backstroke in 31.96 seconds, erasing the 18-year-old record set by Dorothy Grace Hong of the NCR in Naga. She hiked her total to five golds including four record-breakers.
She settled for the silver in 100m butterfly won by NCR teammate Alessandra Therese Martin.
“Gusto ko maging Olympian tulad niya,” said the incoming sixth-grader of De La Salle-Araneta in Malabon referring to Guerrero.
Yulo, the 14-year-old sister of Paris Olympics bound and world champion Caloy, dazzled her way to the individual all-around gold and the team gold with Cielo Andrea Esliza and Amara Zoe Lagdameo.
Davao’s Meljun Sabidor shattered the 22-year-old secondary boys javelin mark of 59.18 meters owned by Ilocos’ Alleloid Lumabao in Naga City by heaving a 59.90m at the rain-soaked field at the Cebu City Sports Center.
NCR, eyeing the overall crown for the 17th straight edition, zoomed to the top with a 37-21-32 (gold-silver-bronze) haul and shoved Calabarzon to No. 2 with a 30-16-25 haul.
Western Visayas was No. 3 with a 19-19-18 while host Central Visayas at No. 4 with a 16-25-10.