Woodpushers deliver first gilts for Cviraa
Physically-challenged athletes strut their wares in the SPED athletics event of the 2014 Palarong Pambansa at the Laguna Sports Complex yesterday.
(LITO TECSON)
Sta. Cruz, Laguna— Day one of competition belonged to an athlete from the host province for winning the first gold medal in the 2014 Palarong Pambansa yesterday at the Laguna Sports Complex here.
But Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) didn’t allow the day to end without making some noise when it won two gold medals in chess.
Chris Aldritz Pondoyo set the tone for the team when he pocketed a gold in the elementary individual chess blitz category. He also helped the Cviraa win another gold when he and Chris Tanudra ruled the team event.
The elementary girls team had its own contribution with Vic Glysen Derotas pocketing bronze in the individual blitz. Derotas and Methusselah Hoban also won bronze in the team category.
Adding to the region’s productive harvest in chess was Allan Pason, who pocketed a silver in the individual blitz category secondary boys. Pason and Felix Shaun Balbona also came up with a silver in the team event.
“We have strong team this year and we really expected that our chess players will deliver gold for us,” said coach Randy Talaugon, who also said he is expecting the team to win more medals in the standard category.
It was a productive day for Region 7 as it took off to a good start in the ball games.
Region 7 opened its title-retention bid in the basketball secondary boys with a 93-49 routing of Caraga region.
The volleyball elementary girls squad, composed mainly of players from vaunted Catmon Integrated School , also opened its title defense with an easy outing after it demolished Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 25-1, 25-09.
It was a dominant performance from the Region 7 spikers so much so that they were able to post a 22-0 lead at one point in the game. CAR scored its lone point in the first when Region 7 players were called for a violation for touching the net in a live ball.
The volleyball secondary team, manned mostly by players from the University of San Carlos, posted a 25-10, 25-15 win over Region 5.
Zeanne Faith Cabrera of Calabarzon won the meet’s first gold after topping the secondary women’s javelin throw. (LITO TECSON)
Making a big splash yesterday was Zeanne Faith Cabrera of Calabarzon, who became the first athlete to win a gold in this year’s Palaro when she dominated the javelin throw secondary girls at the Laguna Sports Complex.
Cabrera, 16, threw a distance of 40.31 meters, a personal best. What made the winning throw more special was she did it against a perennial tormentor.
The silver medal went to National Capital Region’s Monica Loise Andaya with a 39.36, while defending champion Jerrymay Rubias of Region 6 settled for bronze with a 38.06 mark.
“Rubias has been beating me but those losses motivated me to train harder,” said Cabrera, a third year high school student at St. Michael’s College of Laguna. “I really prepared hard for this year and I’m so happy that it paid off.”
Interestingly, Rubias was the first athlete to a win gold in last year’s Palaro in Dumaguete City.
Aside from scoring some measure of revenge against Rubias, the Biñan, Laguna-native Cabrera also ended a string of dismal performances in Palaro.
“My first Palaro was in Pangasinan in 2012, where I finished eighth. Then the next year in Dumaguete I wound up sixth. It was frustrating but I didn’t lose hope, continued to practice and with the help of my coaches I finally made it,” said Cabrera, third in a brood of seven.
Central Visayas’ Kit Vincent Peletero competes in the boys secondary long jump event. (LITO TECSON)
STAR-STUDDED OPENING CEREMONY
The week-long tournament will have its formal opening ceremony today spearheaded by Laguna governor Jeorge “E.R.” Ejercito Estregan.
Gracing the affair are former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro.
Adding glitz to the affair are TV personalities Ginger Conejero and Dyan Castillejo as well as figure skater Michael Christian Martinez, siblings Jeric and Jeron Teng, Jericho Ejercito,
Enchong Dee and Filipino boxing hero Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, who will lead the lighting of the torch.
Highlighting the ceremony are the parade of the 17 competing regions and the parade of floats, which kicks off the La Laguna Festival.
Games resume in the afternoon.
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