PUERTO PRINCESA - Cebuano spinter Lindley Fran Navaja reaffirmed his status as the fastest runner in the 2008 Palarong Pambansa by defeating early favorite Isidro Del Prado in the 200m run of the athletics competition yesterday here at the Ramon V. Mitra Jr. Sports Complex.
It was, however, not only Navaja's day as gymnast Noimi Soco completed a gold-silver-bronze medal haul after topping the floor exercise. She also got a bronze in the vault apparatus.
Del Prado was expected to win the gold in the 200m, but Navaja did all he can to pocket the glowing gold that was denied of him last year.
Navaja, a member of the University of Cebu (UC) Athletics Team, clocked in 22.4 seconds, fourth-tenth of a second ahead of Del Prado.
Navaja was also part of the Central Visayas squad that took silver in the secondary boys 4x100m relay, while John Luke Franco snatched bronze in the 400m hurdles.
In the elementary level, Region 7's bets capped its campaign in athletics event with a silver and two bronzes.
Sarah Mae Napoles, who ruled the triple jump the other day, got only silver in high jump, while her teammate Kirstie Kaye Vinco picked up the bronze. The other bronzed was handed by Stella Maris Malingin-led girls 4x100m relay team.
Over at the swimming pool, Loren Dale Echavez faltered in her triple-gold medal bid. She made several mistakes in her placing to finish only at fifth place in the 200m freestyle.
As of this writing, Central Visayas is at second place in the overall standings along with Regions IV-A (Calabarzon) and VI (Western Visayas). National Capital Region (NCR) leads the pack with 33 points from three events that were already done - gymnastics, arnis and boxing.
In the elementary division, the region is lagged at sixth place with 11 points behind Region VI-A and NCR with identical 25 points.
Central Visayas still has a big chance of improving its current standing if it peforms well in tennis, football, elementary basketball and volleyball, and sepak takraw.—Caecent No-ot Magsumbol