CDN Digital photo | Mars G. Alison
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Defending champion Central Visayas strongly sent out its intention of completing a four-peat after adding 22 gold medals in the second day of competition in the ongoing 2019 Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Games on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, held in various venues here.
Central Visayas now has a total of 23 gold medals in the seniors division to take the top spot as of 8 p.m. of Tuesday.
The youth division, on the other hand, bagged 11 gilts to currently take the second spot behind Western Visayas, which has 12.
The official medal tally, which was released by the technical secretariat at 4:33 p.m., had Central Visayas at no. 1 but with just 11 golds yet, and the youth still at second but with 10 gold medals.
Comprising the bulk of the 22 gold medals in the senior division are nine each from weightlifting and swimming, and four from athletics.
Leading the gold medal haul in swimming was University of Cebu’s (UC) Karen Indaya in the 400-meter Individual medley and 100-m backstroke.
Indaya also helped the Central Visayas 4×50 medley relay team to a gold finish along with Shayne Pareja, Razel Cabajar and Apriel Goden, all of the University of San Carlos (USC).
Cabajar also bagged the gold in the 50-meter butterfly as well as the 4×100 freestyle relay team manned by USC’s Antonne Villahermosa, Joshua Beltran, Ron Jeyc Fuentes and University of the Visayas’ (UV) Alfred Pacabis.
In athletics, accounting for the gilts were Bohol Institute of Technology-International College’s (BIT-IC) April Joy Alampayan in the 5000-m run, UC’s Niña Alfanta in the 100-m hurdle, University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s (USPF) Jay Ann Luaña in the 400-m women and UC’s Jan Moses Estrada in the shotput men.
Bagging gold in weightlifting were RJ Polon, Jonasam Alegada, Sainty Fe Daro, Joefry Frasco, Christnel Diamante and Adrian John Perez.
In boxing, fighting for a gold medal on Wednesday, May 22, are Dan Jay Nietes, a first degree cousin of 4-time world division boxing champion Donnie Nietes, Martin Butalid, Shane Gentallan and June Vincent Acog. /bmjo