This is the latest Palarong Pambansa medal tally. | From DepEd website
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Central Visayas or Region 7 will likely duplicate its 2019 fifth-place finish in the overall medal standings as the Palarong Pambansa 2023 wraps up in Marikina City after a week-long action.
In the latest medal tally from the Department of Education (DepEd) on Saturday, August 5, 2023, Central Visayas is currently in fifth place with 26 gold medals, 18 silvers, and 35 bronzes, with the closing ceremony happening as of this writing.
As usual, the National Capital Region (NCR) leads by a wide margin in the medal tally and will likely retain its overall title with 85 gilts, 74 silvers, and 55 bronzes.
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Central Visayas 5th place
With only the sepak takraw waiting to finish, Central Visayas is virtually nailed at fifth place in the medal standings.
Western Visayas, or Region 6, had the most improved performance this year, climbing to second place in the medal standings from its third-place finish in 2019.
The Ilonggos have 60-45-44 (gold-silver-bronze) tally, followed by Region 4 (52-52-57), Region 3 (28-33-46).
Central Visayas is ahead of Region 11 (21-18-27) and Region 10 (19-20-33).
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Final day gold medalists
On the final day of the competition, Central Visayas bagged two more gold medals in the team event.
Central Visayas defeated NCR in the secondary boys’ basketball, 77-73, courtesy of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles.
Also, the Magis Eagles secondary girl’s futsal team beat Region 11, 3-0, to win the gold medal.
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12 gold medals
Despite the fifth-place finish, Central Visayas managed to haul 12 gold medals last Friday, headed by five-gold medalist Naiana Dominique Tagle of Dumaguete City in archery.
Tagle finished with five gold medals after adding two more gilts on Friday by topping the single FITA and team events.
Another notable athlete from Central Visayas was Bayawan City’s Karl Emmanuel B. Fernandez, who earned four gold medals in swimming elementary boys.
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Arnis, wrestling, athletics
In arnis, Central Visayas clinched three gold medals courtesy of Kurt Imbert Limbaga (extra lightweight secondary), Kira Jean Ostan (extra lightweight secondary girls), and Brint Cinco (anyo individual double weapon elementary).
Also, they bagged two gold medals in wrestling courtesy of Ghavy Anilov Quianzo (junior boys 58kgs) and Destine Sean Aliabo (cadet boys 46kgs).
In the medal-rich athletics, Central Visayas only earned two gold medals from Ma. Emely Balunan (secondary girls 400m dash) and Rhianna Rose Berte (elementary girls 400m dash).
In gymnastics, Nino Joaquim Belecario won the lone gold medal for Central Visayas in the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG), so as in taekwondo and billiards from Cyvir Junior in the 68kg kyurogi secondary boys and Johari Elarcosa in the 9-ball singles.
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