CEBU, Philippines - Central Visayas came raging with 27 golds in the second day of action to wrest the lead in the 2012 Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Collegiate Games at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
Banking on its spectacular showing at the pool, host Region 7 surged past Region 4-A (Calabarzon) with a total two-day haul of 32 golds, 12 silvers and 16 bronzes, dropping the opening day leader to second with a 15-14-16 gold-silver-bronze medal tally.
Completing the top 10 list in the overall standings were Region VI (9-11-12), Region V (6-3-6), Region XI (5-19-15), Region I (3-1-5), CAR (1-6-1), Region II and Region III (1-2-2), Region XII (1-1-4) and Region IX (1-0-0).
“We’re happy to note that our athletes are doing well and we’re in high spirits to give the best of what they have knowing for the fact that we have the homecourt advantage. We’re on the right track and we don’t have any reason not to be on top. We will go further until the final day of the competition,” said PRISAA project director Bernard Ricablanca.
Multi-titled tanker Loren Dale Echavez sustained her sizzling run with three more golds in the women’s 800m freestyle (10:30.36) and 100m free (1:02.67). The 18-year-old BS Biology student from the University of San Carlos (USC) also powered CV to a golden finish in the women's 4x50m relay, bringing her total number of golds to five and just two shy of her target.
“I have two more events left and hopefully I could sweep the remaining swims that I will make,” said Echavez, who is eyeing for a perfect seven-for-seven tomorrow when she guns for victories in 400 free and 4x200m freestyle relay.
CV won its other golds in swimming from Seth Melendez in the 200m backstroke (2:33.98) and the men and women’s 200m freestyle relay teams. Jebb Cane, Edgar Allan Jarina, John Beltran and John Solon clocked in 1:48.29, while Echavez sisters Loren and Ara Denise, together with Lorens Goyenechea and Abegail Sakib timed 2:02.76 in the women's side.
In athletics, Lorna Olarita, a student from the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), became Region 7's first triple gold medallist after lording it over in the 200m run with the time of 26.4 seconds. She also bagged gilts in the 10m and 400m run.
The meet's fastest man Ernesto Ybañez from the University of Cebu (UC) stamped his class anew, this time in long jump event with a leap of 6.89m. He will gun for his third gold in triple jump event today.
UC Irin Baluran, on the other hand, topped the women's long jump in 5.19m, while Mary Joy Tabal of Southwestern University (SWU) dominated the women's 5,000m in 19 minutes and 4.4 seconds.
John Paul Tomarse contributed lone gold in the seniors men fin category of the taekwondo competition after thrashing Leonar Avenido of Region XI.
Region 4-A was held off to only four golds yesterday courtesy of Jerome Magallanes, Wilson Rabino and Jackelyn Orig in the men's 200m breaststroke, men’s 100 free and women’s 100m butterfly, respectively.
In the lawn tennis, the CV men’s team composed of Bernardine Siso, Kennex Abadia, Troy Pintor and Israel Abarquez bagged the title after thumping Region XI, 2-0, while the women’s team of the Siso sisters Sally Mae and Sallydine along with Kezia Adelyn Jabines and Christine Bellita advanced to the finals after fending off Region VI.
In volleyball, the SWU-manned CV women's team defeated Region XI, 27-29, 26-24, 26-24, 25-20 and Region I, 25-20, 25-20, 25-13, while the USC-powered men's squad dumped Western Mindanao, 25-11, 25-20, 25-19 and Caraga, 25-11, 25-4, 25-5.
In football, Central Visayas shut down Zamboanga (Region 9), 3-0, while CV thumped Region 2, 2-0, in sepak takraw. (FREEMAN)