Central Visayas eyes more golds as Palaro action intensifies today

STA. CRUZ,  LAGUNA, Philippines — After a slow Day Two, Central Visayas seeks to put more glow to its two-gold haul as gold medals will come aplenty including a whopping 16 in swimming and another four in archery in the third day of action in the 2014 Palarong Pambansa here at the newly-refurbished Laguna Sports Complex.

Central Visayas currently stands at third place overall with two golds, two silvers and one bronze, even as it also sustained its momentum in ball games. Perennial champion National Capital Region is on top of the heap with four golds, one silver, and one bronze, just one bronze ahead of CALABARZON.

CV’s twin golds was delivered by chess prodigy Chris Aldritz Pondoyo, from the University of Cebu, in elementary blitz chess during the first day of hostilities last Sunday. He later partnered with Jeremy Tanudra of the University of San Carlos to make it a double gold in team event.                            

Central Visayas also got a pair of silvers in the secondary division through Allan Pason in the individual competition and team event along with Felix Shaun Balbona, while Vic Glysen Derotas handed over the region’s lone bronze, so far.

In badminton, CV’s elementary and secondary girls bets hope to hurdle their quarterfinal assignments to get a sure bronze. The region’s elementary shuttlecock artists defeated Caraga, 2-0, while their secondary counterparts prevailed over Eastern Visayas, 2-0.

On the other hand, CVIRAA's secondary spikers pulled off a 26-24, 26-24 thriller over Cagayan Valley, while the Don Bosco Technology Center-powered secondary football team cruised to its second straight victory via a 13-1 rout of Central Luzon.

It was, however, a Central Luzon thrower a who shone the brightest as the multi-sport event was officially ushered in star-studded festivities yesterday.

Central Luzon's Bryan Pacheco, a towering 17-year-old six-footer, heaved the six-kilogram shot put to 15.32 meters on his fifth attempt, smashing by more than a meter and a half the two-year mark of 13.90m set by Western Visayas' Richard Jey Cabanyug in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

And Pacheco did the trick barefoot.

"Hirap ako pag naka-sapatos kaya nag-desisyon ako na tanggalin na lang. Kung hindi ko ginawa yun, hindi ako makakaka-gold (I was having a hard time with those shoes so I decided to just remove it. If I hadn't done it, I would have not won the gold)," said Pacheco, who has gotten offers from Perpetual Help and Far Eastern U after graduating from Baler National High School.

It also served as redemption for Pacheco, who was on his way to copping the gold in the same event last year in Dumaguete only to lose it after Western Visayas' Renzy John Gemolaga's massive final throw denied the former the mint.

"Sinigurado ko na ngayon dahil ayaw ko na maulit pa nangyari sa akin nung isang taon (I made sure this time because I don't want a repeat of what happened last year)," said Pacheco.

Pacheco's effort was one of the three record-breakers in the same event as eventual silver and bronze medallists Ronmols Andaya of Zamboanga and Wendell Llames of Calabarzon also surpassed the old record with distances of 14.46m and 14.07m, respectively.

He will go for a second gold in javelin where he reigned supreme last year with a record-shattering performance.

"Sana (hopefully)," he said.

Meanwhile, gracious host Gov. Jeorge ER Ejercito-Estregan and former President and current Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada officially declared this week-long meet open in a grand opening ceremony.

Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao begged off in the last minute because of a family emergency (see separate story) in the ceremony attended by TESDA chief Joel Villanueva, Phl Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia and commissioner Jolly Gomez.--with Philippine STAR News Service