CEBU, Philippines - Unit 9 solidly represented by athletes from Abellana National School (ANS) snared the lead in the secondary division of the 19th Cebu City Olympics as more records tumbled at the close of the swimming competition at the Cebu City Sports Center yesterday.
ANS now stands with 64 points, thanks to the golden performances of its baseball and sepak takraw teams as well as its gymnasts, who tossed in 14 points.
With the swimming event's final tally still being tabulated as of this writing, Unit 3 is seated at second place with 25 points, while Unit 1 is at temporary third with 15 points.
Unit 8, however, could overtake Unit 3 and even Unit 9 when the swimming results will be finalized as it dominated the pool behind the stirring exploits of Loren Dale Echavez and Jebb Cane. Echavez handed over five golds including two records via the 200 and 400m freestyle events, while Cane swam his way to four gilts.
In the elementary level, Unit 4 is on top of the heap, but leads by just one point over Units 1 and 5.
Unit 4 posted 28 points so far, 15 points of which came from baseball, 10 from sipa and three from gymnastics.
Unit 1, which clinched the baseball title, and Unit 5, posted 27 points each.
Unit 2 is at third spot, thanks to its sipa players for handing over 15 points.
The swimming event ended with five records being shattered.
The decorated Anthony Linn Navarro of Unit 7 ruled the 100m back stroke with a time of 1:19.13, erasing the old mark of 1:20.7 set by Lester Ang. Navarro ended his bid with four golds and a silver.
A few moments later, Navarro broke the 2003 record of John Solon at 1:09.38 in the 100m freestyle with his 1:08.54 clocking.
Navarro’s closest pursuer, Joshua Beltran of Unit 1, also had a better time than Solon in 1:09.14.
Dannielle Ballesteros of Unit 6 had a grand time in the girls division with five golds spiced up with a record-setting performance in the 100m breaststroke. He posted the time of 1:28.99 to erase her own mark of 1:30.72 she carved last year.
Unit 5, through University of Cebu’s Romylyn Ignacio, Merlyn Silva, Joyce Huguete and Trina Caneda, also established a record in the 400m medley relay, eclipsing one of the oldest existing records in the meet owned Unit 7, from 5:41.10 to 5:27.77.
Unit 8, via the efforts of USC’s Jacob Boiser, Tristan Kirk Ebon, Aaron Embuscado and Ray Maynard Sasedor, smashed the 2004 record in 200m freestyle relay made by Unit VI at 2:26.74 with their 2:26.36 effort. - THE FREEMAN