Cebuano biker tops elite division of cross country race in Philippine National Games

Team Cebu City scored a huge win in mountainbike yesterday in the ongoing Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)-Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Philippine National Games 2014 after Talamban’s pride Niño Surban ruled the Elite division in Tagaytay City.

The 27-year-old Surban clocked 48 minutes and 56 seconds to reign supreme in the men’s elite division of the Cross Country race and secure his seat in the Philippine national mountain bike team.

With the win, Surban, who is coming off from  back-to-back championship finishes in the 1st San Fernando XC Challenge 2014 cross country mountain bike and the 1st Bugoy Bikers Cross Country Challenge, will now focus his attention in the coming Yawatahama, Japan race slated May 23 and on June 1 for the Nagano, Japan grind.

“Nindot didto ang lumba sa Japan kay binombahay gyud,” Surban said in an earlier interview. “Target nako didto maka sulod sa top 10 kay last year sa top 20 ra man ko out of 70 riders.”

Bagging the silver medal was March Aleonar, who clocked in at 49:51, while the two bronze medals were taken home by Alvin Benoza (50:18) and Cesar Lapaza, Jr. (50:55).

In the women’s race, Ariana Dormitorio took home the gold with a time of 50:55, while Avegail Rombaon settled for the silver medal with a time of 54:14. The bronze medalists were Mellisa Jaroda (1:02.15) and Jermyn Prado (1:13.55).

The men’s Under-23 gold was won by Jigo Mendoza, whose 54 minutes and 54 seconds came out as the fastest time, followed by silver medalist, Cebu City’s John Renee Mier (56:06) and bronze medalists Ed Mhel John Flores (57:49) and Eric Dhave Apenar (1:00.22).

The downhill competition was ruled by Jerich Far with a clocking of 1:54’81, followed by Eleazar Barba at second with a time of 1:55’46 and Dumaguete City’s Joey Barba at third with a clocking of 1:56’65.

Aside from cycling, Cebu City also netted a win in men’s lawn tennis yesterday over at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, courtesy of Israel Abarquez, who defeated Quezon City bet Jayson Benitez in straight sets, 6-1, 7-6.

The Cebu Lady Dragons, for their part, doled out a silver medal in rugby-football after settling for the second place behind eventual gold medalist Xena team. Team UMAK grabbed the bronze.

Rovillo Lumantad also gave Team Cebu City a bronze medal in arnis after finishing third in the Anyo Men Individual Single Weapon 17-below next to gold medalist Cris John Quitallo of Dasmarinas and silver medalist Rob Lian Sanchez of Taguig.

Team Cebu City also netted a bronze medal in Underwater Hockey after Team Puerto Princesa snared the gold and Team Lucena took home the silver.

Team Cebu City, though, lost in women’s volleyball after the Southwestern University-manned Niños bowed down to eventual gold medalist De La Salle University Lady Spikers, 25-12, 25-13, 25-20.

The Lady Spikers, spearheaded by Kim Kianna Dy, MaJoy Baron, Desiree Cheng, Ara Galang and Cienne Cruz, went on to bag the gold medal after defeating the defending champions Philippine Air Force in straight sets, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21.