Barefoot runner Joan Alinsunod (right) of the City of Naga wins gold in the secondary girls 1,500 meters on her birthday. Cebu City’s Mary Joy Loberanis bags silver.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
City of Naga — A trackster gifted herself with a hard-earned gold medal on her birthday yesterday and the host city finally broke into the win column in the 2017 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) Regional meet at the Teodoro Mendiola Sr. Track and Field Oval here.
Joan Alinsunod marked her 17th birthday with a blast, giving the City of Naga its first gold by successfully defending her title in the secondary girls’ 1,500-meter run.
“I am doubly happy. It’s nice to win on my birthday. This victory is for the City of Naga,” said the Grade 9 student of Antonio R. Lapis National High School.
Alinsunod, who lives in Barangay Jaguimit, a few kilometers from the city proper, timed five minutes and 02.31 seconds to narrowly beat Mary Joy Loberanis of the Cebu City Niños, who settled for silver in 5:02.99.
“I really trained for this event. I’ll just celebrate my birthday at home, get a needed rest for my next events,” said Alinsunod who will be gunning for more medals today in the 800 and 3,000m events.
Cebu City tankers deliver golds
While the host city had just tasted its first gold, the 24-time defending champion Cebu City leaned on its powerful swimmers to remain way ahead of the pack.
Upstaged in the tracks by Bohol, the Niños now have 51 golds, 25 silvers and 31 bronzes, to pull away from the former and Lapu-Lapu City, which occupy the second and third spots at 8-6-14 (g-s-b) and 6-17-17, respectively.
Cebu Province is in fourth place at 5-5-7, followed by Danao City (3-2-1). Mandaue City took the sixth spot (2-7-2) followed by the host city at 1-2-0.
Cebu City’s swimmers won 10 of 16 golds yesterday at the Naga City Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Karen Mae Andaya delivered two golds for the Niños by winning the secondary girls’ 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke.
Dwight Galolo of the Province of Bohol celebrates after winning the boys 1,500 race. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Also chipping in golds were Fredrick Albert Yuan Chiongbian (sec. boys 400m freestyle), Marielle Estreba (elementary girls 100m backstroke), Christante Veloso (sec. boys 100m backstroke), and Gil Anton Talisaysay (sec. boys 200m butterfly).
The Niños were also unstoppable in the relays as they dominated the secondary boys and girls’ 4×50m medley relay contests.
The athletics team also delivered golds for Cebu City with Abraham Seth Pilapil topping the secondary boys’ 400m contest.
Eleiza Salinas ruled the secondary girls’ 100m hurdles, while Crystal Villanueva snatched the secondary girls’ high jump gold.
The Niños added more gilts in badminton secondary girls’ team tie and the boys’ team tie.