Cebu City Niños ups gold medal haul to 9 on Day 2 of Batang Pinoy games

Archer Aldrener Igot, Jr. accounts for two of the four gold medals bagged by the Cebu City Niños in the second day of competition of the Batang Pinoy National Championships. | Mars G. Alison

PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN, Philippines — The Cebu City Niños managed four gold medals in the second day of competition of the ongoing Batang Pinoy National Championships to bring their current total to 9 gold medals. 

Leading the gold charge was archer Aldrener Igot, Jr. of the Don Carlos Gothong Memorial National High School, who bagged two gold medals at the start of the archery competition at the Speaker Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex.

Igot bagged his gilts in the 20-meter and 30-meter Cub Boys division.  

In last year’s national championships in Baguio City, Igot just managed two bronze medals. Not only did he start his stint in this year’s edition with two gold medals but he also qualified for the Palawan games by clinching six gold medals and one silver in the Visayas regional finals held last March in Iloilo City.

Igot’s teammate, Khalil Jusper Abella of the University of Cebu (UC), finished with the bronze medal in the Cub Boys 30 meters. 

Archers get ready for their competition in the Batang Pinoy National Championships at the Speaker Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex. | Mars G. Alison

The weightlifters added another gold medal via Joan Egos of the Mabolo Elementary School who dominated the 49 kilograms category.

Her teammates, Jun Dominic Bohol of UC, bagged a silver in the 43-kg, and Paul Vincent Mandaya of Carreta Elementary School, clinched the bronze in the 37-kg.

The Cebu City archers and weightlifters are products of the grassroots program of the Cebu City Sports Commission.

The fourth gold medal was handed in by Kenneth Malaya of Abellana National School in the 110-m hurdles while his teammate, Jomar Cumabig of UC, trailed him for the silver.

These medals, however, are not yet listed in the official medal tally released by the Philippine Sports Commission as of 5 p.m.

In that medal tally, Laguna Province is at the top with 10-11-6, at second is Cotabato Province with 10-2-1 and at third is Pasig City with 9-12-6.

In that tally, Cebu City is at sixth place with 5-8-4.   

Meanwhile, one of the softball players was confined in the hospital after she was diagnosed to have dengue.

She reportedly started having fever while onboard the ferry which they took to get to Palawan. 

Should the doctor declare that it would be safe for her to travel, then she would be immediately be brought home to Cebu./dbs