Swimmer Taguinota adds 2 golds to Batang Pinoy medal haul

MANILA, Philippines -- Tanker Arvin Taguinota splashed his way to a pair of gold medals Wednesday to join Pasig City teammate and gymnast Haylee Garcia in the elite quintuple gold medal club in the Batang Pinoy in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Taguinota, an 11-year-old protégée of Olympian Jessie Lacuna, topped the 12-13 boys 100-meter backstroke in a minute and 4.30 seconds and then teamed up with Ricardo Delgado, Marcelino Picardal III and Jefferson Saburlase in seizing the 4x50m freestyle relay mint in 1:47.44.

Taguinota, who also won in 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley, thus matched the five-gold haul of Garcia, who hauled five in one fell swoop in the FIG juniors class of women’s artistic gymnastics Monday back in Intramuros, Manila.

FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Davao del Nortde impressed as he completed a chess treble by ruling blitz, rapid and standard in the boys 15-year-old division.

Over in centerpiece athletics, Bacolod’s Mico Villaran led the record-breaking assault by spearheading his team of Ryzen Facto, Cloui Loquias and Churynthya Tecson to the 4x400m universal relay gold in 3:47.72.

It shattered the meet mark of 3:54.49 registered by Davao City’s Milchay Moreno, John Rods Bongcayat, Mary Jane Pagayon and Gorbachev Pepito last year at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

It was the third gold of the Palarong Pambansa track star who also topped the 400m hurdles and 110m hurdles in this meet bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission.

In pencak silat, Aklan towered above everyone else with golden feats by Lyca Pascual and Ma. Feroz Retiro (artistic double junior novice girls), Frenz Gregorio and John Jizmundo (artistic double junior elite boys), Mary Chantal Jizmundo, Marzhel Regalado and Nathalie Regalado (artistic trio junior novice girls), and Jharred Mabasa, Jason Patron and Justine Patron (artistic trio junior novice boys).

In taekwondo, it was Baguio who held sway with a three-gold haul courtesy of

Vashti Budadda (cadet female category 2 kyorugi), Zyra Lee (junior female light middle), and Ian Lonogan (junior male middle).