ZAMBOANGA CITY. – Philippine Army ended swimming with five gold medals and added 13 in taekwondo, four in athletics and two in chess Wednesday to emerge with the highest number of wins after the third day of the 2024 ROTC Mindanao Leg at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex here.
But it was Air Force cadet John Austin Hampac of Southern City College in Zamboanga City who emerged as the “Most Outstanding Swimmer” with five gold medals to his name.
“Na-overwhelm ako. Hindi ko inaasahan ito. Pasalamat ako sa mahal na Diyos at sa lahat at sa mga sumusuporta sa akin, lalong-lalo sa school namin. Pangako kong pag-bubutihin ko pa sa parating na national finals sa Cavite,” said Hampac, 21, a first year Criminology student.
Also winning five golds each were Army cadets Reymond Pelisan and Jellie Somera and Navy cadet Haji Al-Jhaez.
“Sa tingin ko, Malaki ang aming tsansang mga Mindanawanon sa national finals. Kailangan lamang talaga na paghdaan ng maiigi ang kumpetisyon. I was a swimmer already since my elementary days,” said the 19-year-old freshman Jhaez.
There are more than 2,000 cadets all over the Mindanao region participating in the week-long competition and Philippine Army had the highest number of entries, enabling the team to see action in all 15 events being disputed in the meet.
At the end of the aquatics event, the Army cadets gained 18 golds, while the Air Force cadets had 16 and Navy had 8.
In athletics at the JFEMSC track oval, Army cadets and Air Force secured four golds each.
Army’s Christian Villamor of Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology won the gold in the men’s long jump (5.87-m), while Ronalyn Suson of Tangub City Global College dominate the women’s 200-m run (28.1).
