After missing the triathlon gold last Saturday due to an accident, Team Cebu City’s Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon vindicated herself yesterday by ruling the 14-15 years old criterium race of the 2015 Batang Pinoy National Finals cycling event in Danao City.
Mataragnon, who was hit by a marshal’s vehicle during the bike leg of the triathlon event last Saturday, rebounded by pocketing the criterium gold in 37 minutes and 23.37 seconds. Olongapo’s Veronica Lourds Deldio finished second in 37:24.37 and Ilo-ilo City’s Kyla Marie Gomez won bronze in 38:05.05.
Last Saturday’s triathlon champion Nicole Eijansantos of Quezon City placed fourth in 38:05.09 but came back by snatching the gold in the ITT race in 18:30.385 with Mataragnon settling for the silver medal in 18:49.904. Deldio won the bronze in 18:52.192.
Mantaragnon’s gold was one of seven won by Cebu City yesterday.
Tomas Mojares of Lipa City topped the ITT boys 14-15 years old race while teammate Jose Valdivia ruled the 11-13 event. Maritoni Krog won the girls race in 5:53 while Mataragnon’s teammate Catherine Angeli Yu bagged the silver in 6:05. Yu also won bronze in the 11-13 criterium clocking 29:43.
The 15-year old Mataragnon will gun for her second gold medal today in the 40-kilometer road bike still in Danao City.
After three days, the Cebu City Niños has collected 18 golds, 12 silver medals and five bronzes.
OTHER GOLD MEDALISTS
Also collecting golds for Cebu City yesterday were USC-BED trackster Mary Joy Loberanis in the 3,000m run at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) oval clocking 10:57.09, lifters Marjun Agad and Leonida Cambarijan in the 50kg boys and 40kg girls, respectively at the Mandaue City Sports Complex, Jhon Kenneth Baculot and Anthony Cris Luna and Denz Aaron Mayol in the team double weapons event in Arnis also at the Mandaue City Sports Complex.
Silver medal winners yesterday were Giselle Ann Betua in the 42kg weight lifting, Edilberto Abala Jr. and Joefrey Frasco fished a silver and bronze, respectively in the 42kg class and wrestler Rapha Ellered Villanueva in 32kg boys wrestling.
COSTLY ERROR
Cebu Province missed out on a second gold medal in track and field when its boys’ 4x100m relay team crossed the finish line first but was disqualified by technical officials for allegedly passing the baton too early.
QC STILL LEADS
Quezon City still leads the unofficial medal tally with 26 golds, 18 silvers and eight bronze medals followed by Cebu City (18-12-5) and Cebu Province (12-5-3).
Mandaue City on the other hand, ruled Arnis with seven gold medals. Winning gold for Mandaue are Krizel Angana (individual single weapon) and Mary Jocyl Baritua (individual sword and dagger) and Roel John Segarra and Myhl Frances Enero in the individual single weapon and individual sword and dagger events and in the team single weapon event. Aljohn Lindayao capped Mandaue’s blazing campaign by topping the boys individual double weapons.
FUTZAL
Mandaue City and Cebu City will clash in the semifinals of the boys futsal event at the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) in Punta Princesa, Cebu City while Mandaue City will meet Malay, Aklan in the girls semis.
The other semis duel pits Baguio City versus Olongapo City (girls) and Romblon vs Tanauan (boys).
In beach volleyball, Team Cebu City-A and B failed to advance after losing to ARMM at the Fort San Pedro sand court. Team Cebu City-A lost to unbeaten ARMM-B, 12-21, 11-21 while Team Cebu City-B suffered a 21-16, 21-13 debacle against ARMM-A. The winners will face General Santos City-A and Tagum City in today’s semifinals.
In boys voll;eyball, Team Cebu City marched to the finals after annihilating Pangasinan, 25-22, 25-19, at the old Sacred Heart School campus gym. The spiking Niños will battle General Trias, Cavite in today’s finals after the latter edged Mandaue City, 25-18, 25-23.
In 3-on-3 basketball, Cebu Province lost to Davao City, 10-12, while Tagum City outplayed Cebu City, 21-16.
In the girls 3-on-3, Malay nipped Cebu Province, 10-9, while Cebu City-A beat Pangasinan, 20-15. /REPORTER GLENDALE G. ROSAL WITH CORRESPONDENTS’ JOHN CARLO VILLARUEL AND JAMES NICOLE SAVELLON