UC jocks strike back Raks in golds in athletics, taekwondo events of 17th Milo Little Olympics

CEBU, Philippines - Defending champion University of Cebu (UC) breathed a sigh of relief as their trusted tracksters finally delivered the goods as well as their taekwondo jins, but the Ilonggo visitors sustained their sizzling assault in athletics event of the 17th Milo Little Olympics Visayas eliminations yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.

From a solitary gold during the first day of action, UC bounced back with four golds, six silvers and a bronze.

After reigning supreme in high jump, Shantel Tacunan handed another gilt through the girls secondary long jump. Her victory came in her fourth attempt at 4.64 meters, just four centimeters ahead of Iloilo’s Rossel Joy Sison.

UC also came up with a 1-2 finish in the 110m hurdles through Raul and Roar Hyrum Perez, Jr. with the time of 15.67 and 17.76 seconds respectively.

Raul Perez also had a double gold after winning the 200m hurdles in 23.63 seconds as Doren Romeral ruled the 100m hurdles with a 17.56sec clocking.

Iloilo National High School, on the other hand, upped its haul to nine golds, three silvers and three bronzes in athletics.

Axl Catalbas of INHS became the meet's first triple gold medallist after topping the 3,000m steeplechase with the time of 10:30.50.             

Joneza Mie Sustiedo ruled the secondary girls 800m run in two minutes and 29.07 seconds, Ezel Divinagracia and John Ganaba reigned supreme in the 400m hurdles with the time of 1:11.31 and 58.20 seconds, while Lanz Jeremy Halongong lorded it over in the secondary boys discus throw with a 26.88m mark.

Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, on the other hand, posted a 2-3-2 g-s-b medal tally in athletics, while the University of Southern Philippines Foundation has 1-2-1. Cebu Institute of Technology-University had two golds and a bronze, USC with a silver and two bronzes and Pajo NHS with two silvers.

While USC struggles in the secondary level, they performed extremely well in the elementary division with seven golds and a bronze.

After ruling the 1,500m run, Mary Joy Loberanis continued to sparkle, grabbing her second gold through the elementary girls 800m run with the time of 2:51.21. Her teammate Vince Menard Galan shone brightly in the boys side with a 2:42.98 clocking, while Jholo Pakanna came out the fastest in the 200m run in 28.96 seconds.

Basak Community Elementary School trailed USC with three golds and a bronze, CIT-U with 2-3-3, San Nicolas with 2-1-2, while the neophyte-laden SHS-AdC hauled two golds and two silvers.

UC found a little comfort after carting away three golds and a bronze in taekwondo, so far. Among the UC jins who minted golds were welterweight Marie Hanz Therese Espina, middleweight Zozen Frajes and featherweight Aila Marie Lepon handed over UC’s third gold after outsmarting University of San Carlos’ Mikaela Calamba.

Trinity Christian School of Bacolod raked in two golds through the Bermejos in bantamweight Juliene and flyweight Irene Therese.

The University of the Visayas, Negros Occident NHS and Bacolod’s St. John Institute had a gold each.

In the elementary level, Guadalupe Elementary School led the charge with a gold from Charles David Labiste in category 3 plus two bronzes.

The other gold medallists in the elementary boys were Education Training Center of Bacolod’s Adrian Philip Amihan (category 1), Francisco Entierro (category 2), Sal Louis Estrada (category 4), Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu’s Clement Tan (category 5) and Good Sheperd Academy’s Vicente Gella (category 6).

In gymnastics, UV dominated both the elementary and secondary men’s artistic gymnastics.

UV’s secondary squad posted 71.825 total points, thanks to the efforts of Jonrie Moga, Shirojana Mitsuo and Erickson Klein Quijano.

More to it, Moga also won gold in the individual all-around.

Renante Padilla, Jr. swept all three individuals golds at stake in the elementary MAG.

UV's younger bets got a total of 69.175 points through Christopher Padilla, Randall Iverson de la Pisa and Renante Padilla, Jr.  (FREEMAN)