Charcoal maker wins first gold in Milo meet, USC-BED up early
FIRST GOLD. Jessie Abelgos (left) of the Sisters oF Mary Boystown overtakes one of the participants in the 5,000 meter run for the first gold medal in this year’s Milo Little Olympics at the Cebu City Sports Center. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
There is no victory more gratifying than winning the first gold medal in your very first tournament.
That’s what 15-year old Jessie Abelgos achieved yesterday when the Sisters of Mary Boystown runner captured the first gold medal in the 22nd Milo Little Olympics Visayas Regional Finals by ruling the secondary boys 5,000-meter run at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) track.
Abelgos of Abuyog, Southern Leyte was sent by his mother to the Sisters of Mary Boys Town in Minglanilla town two years ago to escape poverty and a life of making charcoals and eating a single meal per day.
Yesterday, Abelgos discovered another opportunity to better his life when he clocked 17 minutes and 50.12 seconds in shocking tournament favorites Rafael Troy Lugay (17.59) of the defending champions University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BED) and University of Cebu’s Martin Cris Ablanque (18.19) in the 5,00m run final.
Like his idol, Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) gold medalist Mary Joy Tabal, Abelgos grew up in a mountain village 400-kilometers away from Tacloban City. Tabal is from Barangay Guba, Cebu City.
“I only go home in the afternoon because I spend my entire day making charcoals. I only eat once a day because we don’t have enough rice to feed the entire family. It’s very tough back in my hometown that’s why my mother decided to send me to Sisters of Mary,” Abelgos told Cebu Daily News.
“Winning this gold medal is very important because for sure this will open a lot of opportunities for me to land a scholarship and become an athlete. I want to follow the footsteps of Ate Joy (Mary Joy Tabal) because she introduced me to running when she and Coach Philip (John Philip Dueñas visited Sisters of Mary a few months ago.”
Tabal and Dueñas have an existing grassroots program at the boys’ town. “She’s one of my inspirations and I am excited to see them again in training,” added Abelgos.
First day surge
Meanwhile, defending champions University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BED) opened its title bid by winning six gold medals in the medal-rich athletics event.
SHOTPUT GOLD. May Ki Joy Park of Ateneo de Cebu shows her gold winning form in shotput in the ongoing regional finals of the Milo Little Olympics.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Despite fielding fewer athletes this year, the Warriors banked on their forte sport to get ahead on opening day.
USC-BED’s gold medalists were John Joseph Berdin (secondary boys shot put), Vanessa Rota (400m run elementary girls), Laurence Yvory Garcia (1,500m run elementary girls), Lugay (1,500m run secondary boys), Mary Joy Loberanis (1,500 secondary girls) and Johnriel Villagomez (400m run elementary).
Former 17-time secondary champions, University of Cebu (UC) won two gold medals courtesy of Martchan Torregosa (400m run secondary) and Crystal Villanueva (high jump secondary girls) while darkhorse, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC), the 2015 secondary champions, snatched three gilts by Mayki Joy Park (shot put secondary girls), Pearl Angeline Abellar (100m hurdles secondary girls) and Rick Angelo Sotto (high jump secondary boys).
Soguilon strikes
Multi-awarded swimmer Kyla Soguilon, 12, of Regional Science High School of Kalibo, Aklan won three gold medals and a new meet record in her debut in the secondary division. The three-time Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) junior athlete of the year awardee won the 200-meter individual medley, the 100m butterfly and the 200m backstroke where she broke the 2016 meet record of Ilongga tanker Mary Louise Lacson by clocking 2:39.60 against the latter’s 2:40.00 record.
Another Aklan swimmer, Michael Lozada of Infant Jesus Academy won five gold medals and a new record in boys’ elementary 400m freestyle. Lozada clocked 5:21.75 erasing the 2016 record of Jennuel Booh De Leon (5:26.00). He also topped the 200m individual medley, 50m breast stroke, 50m backstroke and the 100m butterfly.
Saint John Institute of Bacolod City also shattered the 2011 record of Silliman University (SU) in elementary girls 400m freestyle relay with a time of 5:05.46 erasing SU’s 5:29.39.
Kent Cagape of SHS-AdC won four gold medals in secondary boys by ruling the 200m IM, 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle relay. SHS-ADC also topped the girls relay event.
Arnis winners
At the SM Seaside City Cebu, the gold medalists in arnis were Felicity Cabusas (Inayawan elementary school), Nic Basillote (Inayawan Elementary School), Althyl Enero (Cebu Holy Institute of Mary Inc.) and Mary Jocyl Baritua (Cebu Holy Institute of Mary Inc.).
Taekwondo winners were Zion Frank Alejado (Academia Del Christifidelis of Lilo-an) and Richard Pedroso (Saint John’s Institute of Bacolod City).
The University of the Visayas (UV) won the gymnastics team event gold.