Carmela Dublin (center) of Central Visayas sprints to the finish line being the last runner for the team in the 400-meter relay competition at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City. CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON
Region 7 still at fifth place as 2015 Palarong Pambansa enters penultimate phase
Tagum City— A major push in the homestretch is what it will take for the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) to accomplish its mission in the 58th Palarong Pambansa.
Dangerously hanging in the balance is Cviraa’s bid of at least retaining its spot last year as it found itself foundering at the fifth spot with the competition entering the penultimate phase today.
As of 6 p.m. last night, Cviraa ranked fifth with 10 golds, 10 silvers and 14 bronzes, trailing the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), which was at fourth with 14 golds, 15 silvers and eight bronzes.
Last year, Region 7 barely edged out CAR for the fourth spot, taking the place only because it had more silvers after the two delegations both amassed 24 golds.
Raven Faith Alcoseba fell short in her bid to win a third gold yesterday after she settled for silver in another tight battle with Region 11’s Zoe Marie Hilario in the elementary girls’ 400-meter freestyle.
Avenging her loss to Alcoseba in the 200m individual medley last Tuesday, Hilario won the event with a time of 4:55.28. Alcoseba managed 4:56.03.
“It was still a good showing for Raven. Two golds and a silver were enough,” said Andoy of his ward, who was also the champion in the 100m backstroke.
Adding a medal for Cviraa yesterday was Dahili Kyle Kenji, who pocketed silver in the elementary boys’ 400m run.
Archer Nicole Marie Tagle chipped in a bronze in the elementary girls’ single Fita round.
Tagle has two golds in her collection after she topped the 30m and 60m events. She will try to win another gold when she faces CAR’s top archer Loren Chloe Balaoing in the final of the Olympic round. Balaoing is the champion in the 40m and 50m contests.
“Il try my best. I know it’s my first time in Palaro and I will be going up against experienced opponents. I’m hoping for the best but it’s okay to lose since I will also gain experience which will be useful in the next competitions,” said Tagle.
So far, Tagle and Alcoseba are the only Cviraa athletes to win two golds each. Other gold medal winners are Shanelle Demilys Siasoyco (secondary shot put), Chan Mart Torregosa (elementary 400m hurdles), Eden dela Fuente (elementary triple jump), Diane Sophia Navarro (secondary women’s artistic gymnastics beam event), the elementary boys’ badminton team of Lyrden Laborte, Neil John Navarette, Allen Penute and Jef Angelo Guangco and the badminton elementary girls’ team of Zinah Marichelle Bejasa, Anne Satera, Karyll Rio and Chelsea Katrina Akiatan.
Dr. Vivian Ginete, chief of the Physical Education and School Sports in Central Visayas (PESS-7), said Cviraa is still hopeful it can improve its ranking in the final two days of competition.
But a drop in the ranking will be understandable, Ginete said.
“For this year, sixty percent of the Cviraa athletes are Palaro first-timers. Some of them admitted that they really felt nervous during competitions. The other regions really trained hard making the field very competitive,” Gineta explained.
Cviraa could add more golds to its haul today as four boxers made it to the championship round. The volleyball elementary (boys and girls) and the basketball secondary boys have clinched quarterfinal tickets.
Badminton can also still provide golds as Laborte and Navarette beat NCR, 21-10, 21-10, to make the semis in boys’ doubles competition.
Bejasa also defeated her Region 6 foe in singles competition, 21-10, 21-7, while Akiatan followed suit with a 18-21, 21-11, 21-8 win over Region 6.