Palarong Pambansa 2024: Central Visayas and Western Visayas rake gold medals on Day 1

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Central Visayas (Region 7) pulled off a surprising act on the first day of hostilities at the Palarong Pambansa, bagging the meet’s first gold medal on Thursday, July 11, at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

So far, Central Visayas has collected four gold medals, three silvers, and two bronzes on the first day of the five-day national games. Notably, three of the gold medals were not yet accounted for in the official Palarong Pambansa medal tally.

Leading Central Visayas’ gold medal haul was Asia Paraase, who won the meet’s first gold medal early Thursday morning by topping the 3,000-meter secondary girls’ run at the CCSC oval. Other gold medalists included female woodpushers Edelyn Vosotros and Kristina Concepcion Belano, and arnisador Nathaniel Abing.

Paraase clocked in at 10:27:36 to win the 3,000-meter secondary girls’ run, beating Eastern Visayas’ (Region 8) Chrishia Mae Tajarros (10:39:72) and Davao Region’s (Region 11) Mary Jane Pagayon (10:52:72).

At the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu, Central Visayas’ woodpushers Edelyn Vosotros and Kristina Concepcion Belano of the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters delivered two gold medals. Vosotros earned two golds for finishing with a perfect seven points in the blitz category, and she paired with Belano to rule the team event with 12 points.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Abing from Lapu-Lapu City won Central Visayas’ first gold medal in the arnis event at the Mandaue City Sports Complex.

In addition to the four gold medals, Central Visayas earned two silver medals from Jormaine Pinanonang in the 100m hurdles elementary girls, Kharis Lark Reil Pantonial in the 110m hurdles secondary boys, and Kleone Mole in the 400m freestyle secondary girls’ swimming. Bronze medals went to Ace Francis Bacongallo in the long jump elementary boys and Kacie Gabrielle Tionko in the 400m freestyle secondary girls’ swimming.

As of 6:00 p.m., based on the official Palarong Pambansa website, Western Visayas (Region 6) topped the medal tally.

WV TRACKSTERS DELIVER GOLD

Western Visayas relied on its track athletes to get ahead in the medal tally on day one. Gold medalists included Mico Villaran (110m hurdles secondary boys), Angel Villagracia (100m hurdles secondary girls), Sam Kenjie Bantillo (long jump secondary boys), Ejie Luis Subosa (110m hurdles elementary boys), and Josa Bensurto (100m hurdles elementary girls).

Central Luzon secured five medals, comprising one gold, two silvers, and two bronzes. Its gold medalist was Jyane Kirt Balcita Cantor (long jump elementary boys).

CV TEAMS CONTINUE WINNING

In the ball game competitions, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) girls’ and boys’ volleyball teams remained unbeaten in two matches after defeating their respective foes.

The USJ-R Lady Jaguars earned a hard-fought victory with scores of 22-25, 25-19, and 25-14 against Central Luzon (Region 3), while the boys’ squad beat the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) 25-18, 25-22 at their home court in the USJ-R Basak Campus.

At the USC Main Campus gymnasium, Central Visayas’ University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers obliterated Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), 116-70, in their opening game.

Joining them in winning on the first day was the Abellana National School girls’ basketball team in the secondary girls’ hoop wars at the USC-NC gymnasium, thrashing Region 9, Zamboanga Peninsula, 99-55.

At the Don Bosco Technical College pitch, the reigning Palarong Pambansa elementary boys’ football gold medalists, the DBTC Greywolves, blanked Davao Region 2-0 to earn their second straight win.

Additionally, the Municipality of Santa Fe of Bantayan Island won in the volleyball elementary girls’ division after beating Cagayan Valley (Region 2) 25-22, 26-24.

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