Tracksters from Bohol collect six gold medals in second day of CVIRAA action
Bohol’s Riza Jane Vallente competes in the secondary division high jump event in the ongoing Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association meet at the Teodoro “Doring” Mendiola Sr. Sports Field and Oval in the City of Naga. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
City of Naga—Tracksters from Bohol made their presence felt in the second day of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet at the Teodoro Mendiola Sr. Sports Field and Oval here.
Their athletics bets harvested six gold medals to help the delegation remain at the top of the overall standings with a total medal haul of 25 as of press time on Tuesday.
The 23-time defending champions Cebu City Niños were a close second with 22 medals.
Leading the Boholano charge yesterday was 17-year-old Ray Socajel from Ambongan Island, Inabangga, Bohol.
He hogged the spotlight after topping the 3,000-meter steeplechase on his first try in the event. He clocked 10 minutes and 55.34 seconds to defeat teammate Johnrey Socorin. Rounding off the top three in the 3,000m steeplechase was Reynante Bello of Siquijor Province.
Socajel is a new recruit in the Bohol province athletics squad.
“We never thought he could pull off such a performance because he’s really new to this sport,” his coach Geneveve Arboleras said. “But I saw him persevere and train hard even though he is really inexperienced. He’s also a very hardworking teenager because he goes with his father fishing when there’s no classes.
Just like the rest of the squad, Socajel trains on an unpaved oval at the Inabangga Central School in Bohol.
Bohol Province’s other gold medalists were Jimboy Lofranco (secondary boys shot put), Bryl Brian Torreen (elementary boys javelin throw), Jingky Lansang (secondary girls javelin throw), Lord Michael Valle (110m hurdles) and Maricar Ahit (elementary girls high jump).
Cebu City’s Daniela Reggie dela Pisa performs in the gymnastics event at the Minglanilla Sports gym.
CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO
The Niños, meanwhile, won eight golds yesterday. The Niños won two gold medals on the track courtesy of Crystal Villanueva in the high jump secondary girls and John Rafols in the secondary boys long jump. The six came from the swimming team which competed at the Cebu City Aquatics Center.
The Niños gold medalists in swimming were Jehaosh Garrido (100m backstroke elementary boys), Christante Veloso (100m backstroke secondary boys) and Lyh-ann Navarro (200m butterfly). Other winners were the Niños relay teams (200m medley relay secondary boys, 200m medley relay in the elementary girls and elementary boys).
Last year’s second-placer Mandaue City finally broke its silence by harvesting six gold medals from swimming and the track and field events.
Winning gold in swimming were Yuan Chiongbian (400m freestyle secondary), Harley Jeffrey Chua (200m freestyle elementary) and Joshua Mikhael Tubesa (50m butterfly elementary).
Gold medalists on the tracks were Shanelle Siasoyco (discus throw secondary girls), Britney Cañete (100m hurdles secondary), and Sheena Marie Ariana (girls elementary javelin throw).
Mandaue City now has a total of 11 medals.
Talisay City’s multi-titled swimmer Raven Faith Alcoseba finished the first day of her campaign with two gold medals after topping the 400m freestyle and 100m backstroke in the secondary division.
Her teammate Marielle Estreba chipped in two gold medals by topping the 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke elementary girls events while Charles Jeremiah Lepura added one gold medal by topping the 200m butterfly secondary event.
Talisay City now has 10 medals in the competition. Winners in this meet will make up the core of the Central Visayas team for the Palarong Pambansa.
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