Golden moves for CV Chess players deliver Central Visayas’ first 2 golds in Palaro

VIGAN City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — Cebuano chess players delivered the first two golds of Central Visayas in the 61st Palarong Pambansa at  Baluarte’s function hall here yesterday.

Jerish John Velarde of Lapu-Lapu City, who just won bronze medal for the Philippines in rapid event of the Asian Youth Chess Championship in Thailand,  teamed up with Aaron John Resma to snatch gilt for the Bisdaks in elementary boys rapid competition with 11.0 combined points.

Resma, who hails from Mandaue, also got a silver in the individual elementary boys.

Their townmates Chris Aldritz Pondoyo and Jeremy Tanudra handed over gold for Central Visayas in the secondary boys rapid event with a total of 10.5 points.

It was a bittersweet moment for Tanudra as he bagged the gold just a day after his dad passed away several days after figuring in a tragic motorcycle accident in Malabuyoc, south of Cebu.

Tanudra even wanted to go home when he learned of the sad news but decided to play on knowing that it’s what his father wanted for him.

Pondoyo, who stunned ASEAN champion and Asian silver medalist Daniel Quizon of Calabarzon in the penultimate round, also ended up with the silver in the individual blitz.

“This is my fourth Palaro. Last year, wala ko kaapil kay napildi ko pag CVIRAA. Namawi jud ko ron,” said Pondoyo.

In the girls category, CV’s Alpheca Gonzales of Danao City claimed two silvers in the individual and team contest together with Glybel Quinanola.

CV’s first medal though in the multi-sport conclave was a bronze courtesy of Mandaue gymnast Geanne Alexa Rallos.

The nine-year-old Rallos, who missed a medal in her first Palaro, finished third in the floor exercises of gymnastics competition at the Sta.Maria covered gym.

Over at the Quirino stadium in Bantay, Central Visayas barged into the quarterfinal round of elementary boys football with a 7-0 shutout of Calabarzon.

There’s no medal yet in athletics with John Mark Bacon only landing sixth in triple jump.

In elementary girls volleyball, CV, powered by the promising spikers from Carmen, opened it title campaign with a decisive 25-5, 25-17 win against CARAGA.

CV’s baseball teams, however, were not as lucky as they lost to host Ilocos region, 10-1, in the elementary level, then dropped a gut-wrenching 8-0 decision to Central Luzon in the secondary action.

Meanwhile, runner Leslie de Lima ruled the secondary girls 3, 000-meter run to emerge the first gold medal winner in the week-long athletic meet. She clocked in 10 minutes and 6.54 seconds. (FREEMAN)