CEBU CITY. – Ranged against a familiar rival, a Cebuana runner with a unique name won the first gold in the centerpiece event of athletics while a high school dancing couple from the host squad captured the inaugural mint in the maiden appearance of the discipline in the Palarong Pambansa here Thursday.
Together, Asia Mae Paraase, 13, and samba partners Francis Dave Sambal and Mitchioni Dinauanao emerged as the toast of Cebu province and the Central Visayas region as action in the national showcase for secondary and elementary athletes got going.
Keeping a close watch on Eastern Visayas bet Chrissia Mae Tajarros, who beat her in the girls 1,500-meter race in the Batang Pinoy National Games last December, Paraase broke away in the last three laps to bag the meet’s first gold in the high school girls 3,000-meter race, clocking 10 minutes and 27.36 seconds.
Tajarros finished a distant second in 10:39.72 while Davao Region’s Mary Jane Pagayon took the bronze (10:52.72) in the meet supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and Sen. Bong Go, the Senate Sports Committee chairman.
Sharing the limelight was Central Luzon’s Jyane Kirt Cantor, 12, who smashed a 22-year record in the elementary boys long jump with a leap of 6.14 meters.
Cantor sealed the gold with his second jump that was 10 centimeters or nearly four inches better than the 6.04 meters set by Davao Region’s Jeremie Tamles in the 2002 Palaro in Naga City, Camarines Sur.
Performing with dynamism and harmony in front of a good-sized crowd at the G Mall that included PSC Commissioner Ed Hayco, considered Cebu’s dancesport godfather, Sambal and Dinauanao, both 17, stood head and shoulders above the rest in clinching the samba gold in the Latin competition of the discipline.
Carrying the colors of Laoag City, Ilocos Region’s Ariana Dawn Rabi, a protege of Gintong Alay product and celebrated Southeast Asian Games champ Erlinda Lavandia, ruled the elementary girls’ discus throw with a heave of 31.21 meters.
Sam Kenjie Batillo of Western Visayas topped the secondary boys long jump, leaping 7.09 meters for the other gold won by the host team in morning action.
“Masaya po ako kasi pride na rin po ito ng Central Visayas. Payback na rin po para sa preparations namin,” said Paraase, who gained sweet revenge on Tarrajos, who relegated her to the silver in the girls 1,500-meter run in the Batang Pinoy National Games at the Philsports Complex track oval in Pasig City last December.
A Grade 7 student at the Pajo Elementary School in nearby Lapu-Lapu City, Paraase said she was given her unique first name by her mom, former promising athlete Sarah Mae Abucay, who lost her chance to try out for the 2006 Doha Asian Games when she learned she was pregnant then.
“Gusto kong maipagpatuloy ‘yung pangarap ng Mama ko na makalaro sa Asian Games na hindi niya nagawa dahil pinanganak niya ako,” said Paraase, who augments her family’s income by running and winning in weekend fun runs.
