CVIRAA MEET: Noval is fastest man

Danao City , Philippines  – The fastest man in the 2009 Palarong Pambansa, Daniel Noval of Mandaue City is serious about defending his title as he broke his personal best in the century dash during the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Regional Meet at the Ramon Durano Sr. Memorial Sports Complex here yesterday.

Noval clocked 10.91 seconds yesterday improving his record of 11.04, which he registered during the Palarong Pambansa in Tacloban.

The new personal best time of Noval is just a hundredth of a second slower than the Palaro record of 10.9 seconds clocked by Nasser Tacongcong in 1998.

Aside from the 100-m gold, Noval also won the 200 M dash.

In the distaff side, Talisay’s Mary Ann Mabansag came out the best in the century dash with a time of 13.30 seconds.

In the elementary level, Cebu Province’s Angel Rosas who timed 14.09 seconds and Bohol’s Zanos Edward Tayera with his 13.28 seconds topped the girls and boys’ 100 M dash.

There are three more days to go in this Department of Education-VII organized event, but no official standing has been released yet as of presstime.

Since they are utilizing the point system, recorders can only tabulate the scores after an event is done.

Swimming is already done, but some of the event’s results are being verified yet when technical officials decided to let some swimmers who missed their events in the final day of action due to change of schedule, swim.

There were several winners who tried to oppose the decision, but later gave in after being convinced that this meet is being done to select the best athletes in the region for the Palarong Pambansa in Tarlac this summer.

With no official tally released yet, sportswriters covering the event resort to an unofficial medal count with the perennial champion Cebu City on top of the overall standings after three days of action with 37 golds, 41 silvers and 24 bronzes, 10-10-6 were plucked yesterday.

Dumaguete and Cebu Province remain at the second and third positions. Dumaguete has a haul of 20-21-15 and Cebu Province with 17-22-24.

Although far from the top spot, host Danao City finally got into the winner’s circle with Daisy Relano winning the javelin throw of the secondary girls with a distance of 26.33 meters.

Four of the 10 golds that the Niños got yesterday were from athletics through the efforts of Daisy Mae Lawas and Roy Villahermosa in the 400m hurdles with times of 1:12.52 and 59.67 respectively and from the triple jump through Kristie Kaye Vinco who logged 10.18 meters and Ivan Castañeda with 13.46 M.

Leif Uriel Iyas came out as the day’s hero for the elementary athletics squad of Cebu City after he prevented another gold-less day with his efforts in the triple jump of 10.33 M.

The four other golds were won in gymnastics with the elementary boy’s artistic gymnastic team winning the team event.

Jesus Saragoza bagged gold in the MAG floor exercises, Francin Coyoca in the WAG’s balance beam and Desireiy Padilla in the floor exercises.

More golds are is expected to come for Cebu City when they play in the championship in secondary baseball this morning.

The Niños moved up to the final round after posting a 3-0 win-loss card in the elimination. They are still waiting for their final opponent as off presstime.

In other action, Bohol and Oriental Negros share the lead in sepak takraw with two wins and no loss each while Siquijor spearheads sipa with 3-0 card as Cebu Province, Bogo and Lapu-Lapu are tied with 2-0 mark in secondary softball.

In the secondary girls’ volleyball, defending champion Lapu-Lapu holds the driver’s seat in bracket A with 2-0, Cebu City in bracket B, Tanjay in bracket C and Cebu Province in bracket D also with a 2-0 win-loss card. (FREEMAN NEWS)