USC swimmers sparkle as meet records tumble; UC sweeps 10 golds in athletics

CEBU, Philippines - Despite some glitches in the recording of the swimmers’ time at the pool, the spirited University of San Carlos (USC) tankers made a spashing performance as five meet records fell at the start of 2009 Milo Little Olympics Visayas eliminations yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Edgar Jarina, Lister Tungala, Cynthjhune Goden and Jebb Cane spearheaded USC’s blistering assault as they clocked in four minutes and 51.55 seconds to shatter the 13-year-old mark of 4:57.01 posted by Sisters of Mary in 1996

Star athlete Loren Dale Echavez also got off to a flying start, handing USC its second meet record via the secondary girls 100m freestyle event. She finished the race in 1:02.38 to smash the previous record of 1:04.59 set in 2006.

Echavez was not completely satisfied though despite a golden finish in the 100m butterfly as she failed to break the standing record of 1:07.11 owned by Khawinda Kuhn of the Cebu International School (CIS). She logged in 1:11.7.

Now on her last year in the annual athletic meet, Echavez completed a treble but missed to surpass her 2006 record in the 50m freestyle of 28.80 by only a tick of the clock.

Echavez’s teammate Jabe Cane also established a record in the 100m freestyle with his 59.16 clocking, erasing the 2004 record of Anthony Ong at 59.77.

The visiting West City Elementary School and the University of Cebu also made their presence felt in record-setting fashion.

WCES topped the elementary girls 200m medley with a time of 2:45.55, eclipsing the previous mark of 2:41.56 set Silliman University, while UC broke its own record from 5:37.18 to 5:26.68 in the girls 400m medley behind the efforts of Romylyn Ignacio, Joyce Huguete, Cristine Indaya and Trina Caneda.

In the tempoary medal tally, USC leads the pack in the secondary division with nine golds and two bronzes, while Dumaguete City High School collected two gilts and UC and SU with one gold each.

In the elementary level, SU, University of Southern Philippines Foundation and the Cebu Eastern College shared the lead two golds apiece.         

Over at the track oval, the Cebu Institute of Technology is on top with two golds, three silvers and a bronze followed by Talamban with 2-1-1 gold-silver-bronze medal haul and Basak Elementary School with 1-1-3 tally.

As expected in secondary level, UC zoomed ahead with 10 golds, three silvers and two bronzes.

UC actually swept all golds at stake in the secondary athletics competition thanks to high jumpers Jersell Cabantino and Kirstie Kaye Vinco, shotput bets Jhaye Rabia and Leslie Abad, hurdlers Roy Villahermosa, Jee Ann Racoma, and Daisy Lawas, and long distance runners Edsel John Ardiente and Vlessica Jagna.

Had this year’s MLO edition still applied the medal tally, UC would have been on the way to its 14th title even if its only the first day.

Unfortunately for the UC jocks, they have to wait and see until the end of the two-weekend sports conclave before knowing who will emerge as the overall champion as the organizers decided to adopt the Palarong Pambansa’s point system this time.   (FREEMAN NEWS)