DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines — Host Central Visayas came up with its best performance in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa, grabbing nine golds yesterday to leap-frog from fifth to third place overall going into the final day of action in the week-long sports conclave mainly at the Gov. Mariano Perdices Memorial Stadium here.
Central Visayas got a big boost with four golds in boxing, even as its top bets in archery, chess and tennis also delivered the goods as the hosts climbed to third spot with 168.5 points behind National Capital Region (NCR) with 325.5 points and Western Visayas with 190.67 points.
Overall, Central Visayas has now accumulated a total of 56 medals sliced into 18 golds, 18 silvers and 20 bronzes.
Central Visayas really had something to cheer about as it owned boxing where it harvested four of the seven golds at stake behind the efforts of minimumweight Lloyd Jabez Antoque, mosquitoweight Clint Gersale, pinweight Kit Ceron Garces and light flyweight Junrel Jimenez. Unlike his teammates, Jimenez had a tough fight before snatching the gold against Davao’s John Patrick Dinolan, 2-1.
“We had confidence in our boxers that they can get the gold medals because they prepared for this fight and they have a good condition coming into the competition,†said Team Cebu City coach Ademar Amad.
“So far this is the best performance we have seen from our boxing team,†said Central Visayas Sports Council Executive Secretary Vivian Giñete. “We are thankful to the boys as they provide us with gold coming to the crucial stage of the competition.â€
The Cevees also took the gold in the Team Olympic category of secondary girls archery anchored on Myla Agus, Christy Ann Comahig and Josephine Maloloy-on, who scored 206 points for the gilt.
Vicglycen Derotas, on the other hand, got a double gold in the elementary girls chess single event and in team category with Methosellah Hoban.
In tennis, Fahd Kenneth Banico and Francisco Hidalgo lorded it over in elementary boys doubles event, while his teammate Nicole Yuson won the gold in the singles event. Yuson beat fellow CV bet Francisco Lambayan, who settled for silver medal.
Over at the pool, Sophia Gravador and Marco Tirol managed only silver medals in 100m breaststroke event of elementary swimming competition, while in taekwondo, Mayne Yange Coran and Melody Jane Infante won a double-silver medal in the Kyongi category 5 and 4 in elementary division.
In other events, the region's gymnasts ended their campaign with three bronze medals from Marianne Alegado in elementary rope apparatus and two from Tracy Badonio in secondary ball and hoop events.
In athletics, the foursome of Raul Perez Jr, Dandy Judy, Semplecio Doysabas and Kit Vincent Pelletero could only turn over a bronze in the 4X100m relay, while the secondary boys volleyball team won bronze after beating Western Visayas.
Central Visayas still has a chance to improve its standings in the final day of competition as its secondary boys basketball squad waylaid regional rival Western Visayas, 76-38, to set up a dream championship showdown with the San Sebastian-manned NCR, which survived a spirited fightback by Calabarzon, comprised of players from reigning NCAA high school champion San Beda, to pull off a 73-72 squeaker.
In football, Central Visayas also marched into the championship as well as its elementary girls volleyball squad. (FREEMAN)