ILOCOS SUR.– Aubrey Tom of Rizal topped the girls’ 400m individual medley Sunday and emerged as the first triple-gold winner in the Philippine Sports Commission’s Batang Pinoy competition at the Quirino Stadium pool in Bantay.
Tom, 15-year-old Grade 10 University of the Philippines Integrated School student, clocked five minutes and 31.10 seconds as she added to her victories in the 100m free and 200m IM last Saturday.
The Cainta-based lass finished short of her five-gold effort in the last edition of the Batang Pinoy three years ago in Puerto Princesa, Palawan but was just happy to get back in winning form after almost losing interest in the sport.
“I almost quit, I’m just happy to be back and winning,” said Tom.
Also in swimming, Kristian Yugo Cabana of Lucena and Kyla Louise Bulaga of La Union claimed their second gold medals while cyclist Maritanya Krog of Caloocan emerged as her family’s new hope from a long line of champion racers.
Cabana clocked minute and 5.40 seconds in claiming his second gold in the boys 100-meter butterfly 12-under class, adding to his 200m individual medley victory the day before at the Quirino Stadium pool in Bantay.
Bulaga posted her second golden swim in the girls’ 100m butterfly (12-under), clocking 1:12.70 a day after ruling the 200m IM.
They moved into the elite company of two-gold winners that included Tom, a 15-year-old native of Cainta who topped the 100m freestyle and 200m IM in last Saturday’s inaugurals.
Sharing the spotlight was Krog, 13, the youngest sibling of former national riders Rex and Mathilda who topped the girls’ 13-below class in 37:43.519, ahead of Iloilo’s Maria Louise Alejado (39:12.067) and Calapan’s Jhanah Abella 39:16.426 in the race that started and finished in front of the Provincial Capitol.
“Pangarap ko pong maging national team (member) at makalaro sa ibang bansa,” said Krog.
Also winning gold medals in cycling were Emmanuel Arago of Batangas City, Jacqueline Joy de Guzman of Quezon City and Chris Andreu Ferrer of Cebu City.
Arago was in a class of his own in the boys 13-below class as he almost overlapped the rest of the field before checking in at 36:5.012 seconds, more than two minutes ahead of eventual silver medalist Dashiel John Carmona of General Santos (38:05.131). DJ Perez of Pangasinan took the bronze in 38:05.214.
De Guzman edged Davine Novo of Tuguegarao in a mad dash to the finish to snatch the girls’ 14 to 15 mint in 46:48.768, a fraction of a second ahead of Novo who clocked 46:48.928. Mica Angela Montaos settled for the bronze in 47:43.073.
Ferrer needed a late push to snare the boys 14 to 15 gold in 52:44.492, besting eventual silver medalist Brendz Agyn Celerian of Iloilo City (52:44.850) and bronze winner Mark Dave Pipo of Ilocos Sur (52:45.069).
In girls’ long jump at the Quirino Stadium, Sophia Angela Mae dela Vega of San Jose City bagged the first gold medal in athletics after she reigned supreme with a leap of 4.77 meters.
Dela Vega bested a field of 37 jumpers, including Jesalyn Materdan of Masbate and Angelica Jane Balason of Quezon City, who copped the silver and bronze medal with 4.52m and 4.37m, respectively.
Over at the Caoayan Gym, Elaine Jane Calunsag of Bayawan and Hannah Shene Cabalida of Cebu City reigned supreme in weightlifting, a sport where the country hopes to produce another Hidilyn Diaz, a Tokyo Olympics gold winner.
