Niños bag 7 more gold medals in BP nat’l tilt

Cebu City won seven gold medals in various athletic fronts yesterday in the ongoing 2014 Batang Pinoy National Finals in Bacolod City.

The city’s karatekas led the Niños’ massive gold medal haul by carting away four gold medals courtesy of the University of the Visayas (UV) bet Charene Villamor who dominated the girls Kata competition in the -35-kilogram category; Zaki Louis Bullo of Matilda Bradford Elementary School, who topped the boy’s Kata in the -35-kg.; Sta. Teresa Elementary School Talisay’s Nino Kime Avila, who ruled the boys -25-kg. Kata and Punta Princesa Elementary School’s Precious Abegail Belicario, who emerged queen in the -30-kg. girls Kata.

Another karateka of Punta Princesa ES, Karyll Boyet Pezez won the bronze medal in the girls -35-kg. Kata.

Cebu City won another gold medal yesterday courtesy of weighlifter  Leonida Cambarijan, who came out on in the girls 36-kilogram category at the SM Transport Hub Court.

The Niños, who are billeted at the Emilia Garcia Elementary School, claimed their sixth gold medal in the mixed relay race of cycling by the quartet of Yuan Chiongbian, Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon, Nykka Archival and Ralph Edward So.

Chiongbian then accounted for Cebu City’s seventh gold and his third personal, by topping the duathlon event in 29 minutes and 42 seconds.

Meanwhile, swimming produced a silver medal at the Panaad Sports Complex aquatic center when University of Cebu ace tanker Michael Ichiro Kong finished second in the boys 200-meter butterfly.

During the meet’s opening day, the Cebuanos also snared golds in the boys 30-meter and 50-meter sprints courtesy of Lloyd Apawan.

Mataragnon of the Sacred Heart School-Hijas de Jesus has so far won three gold medals in triathlon including snaring her first solo gold by ruling the Individual Time Trial with teammate Ana Patricia “Ica” Maximo finishing second.