Archer saves day for Cevees Host Central Visayas stays at fifth place in Palaro

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines   â€“ Cebuana archer Myla Agus saved Central Visayas from another gold medal blackout, but her triumph couldn’t provide a big lift as the host region is still nailed at fifth place overall after four days of action in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa at the Gov. Mariano Perdices Memorial Stadium here yesterday.

Agus of Labogon National High School produced the region’s solitary gold of the day after topping the Individual Olympic round of the secondary girls archery competition. CV though fell short of a golden double as Jujith Llanto of Gothong National High School only settled for silver in the boys division.

Still, Central Visayas stayed at fifth in the standings with a total of 37 medals broken down into nine golds, 13 silvers and 15 bronzes. Perennial champion National Capital Region is leading the pack with 54 golds, 41 silvers and 31 bronzes followed by Western Visayas with a 28-23-15 gold-silver-bronze tally and Central Luzon with a 16-10-11 medal haul.

CALABARZON currently runs fourth with 13 golds and bronzes apiece sandwiched by a dozen silvers.

 â€œWe are not losing hope. We are confident we will not lose the fourth place,” said Central Visayas Sports Council Executive Secretary Vivian Giñete. “We are having a tough time in individual events like athletics and swimming, but we have faith that the ball games can pick up the team as they have a bigger point equivalents than individual competitions.”

In gymnastics, Central Visayas could only turn over a pair of silvers in the all-around category of rhythmic gymnastics courtesy of the trio of Marian Alegado, Stephanie Labay and Daniela Reggie Dela Pisa in the elementary division, and Kim Paler, Eunie Odag and Tracy Badonio in the secondary level.

In taekwondo, Clement Tan, Wendell Rama and Charles Davide Labiste bagged  silver medal in team Pomsae event.

In other events, Lovely Fe Andrin won bronze in the 1,500m run, Kimberly Bonsubre also got a bronze in full-contact event of secondary girls arnis, while Karen Mae Indaya’s effort was good for only bronze in the 400m freestyle event of swimming competition with the time of five minutes and 5.08 seconds.

On the other hand, CV’s secondary boys basketball team eliminated Cotabato Region,  88-59, while their girls counterparts slammed Cordillera Administrative Region, 47-36, to advance into the medal round along with the region’s volleyball teams.

In boxing, Central Visayas will try to harvest more golds as five of its bets barged into the medal round in Junrel Jimenez (49 kgs.), Kit Ceron Garces (46 kgs.), Clint Gersale (40 kgs.) and Lloyd Jabez Antoque (34 kgs.). (FREEMAN)