Cuyom adds to Calabarzon gold run

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — Calabarzon continued to sizzle on the tracks as Eliza Cuyom took the secondary girls 100m hurdles gold in another record-breaking feat in the Palarong Pambansa at the President Elpidio Quirino Stadium here yesterday.

Cuyom, 17, turned in a blistering 14.50-second effort, besting the 14.73 she set in the trials two days ago that erased the national juniors’ hand time record of 15-sec. flat which Julie Rose Forbes posted in the National Open in Manila 18 years ago as well as the 22-year-old mark by Zamboanga’s Michelle Patasha in Gen. Santos.

Cuyom’s feat also came on the heels of Calabarzon’s Veruel Verdadero’s record-setting effort in the century dash Wednesday. It was also the third national juniors’ records posted counting Western Visayas’ Ann Katherin Quitoy’s exploits in javelin last Tuesday.

“I’m happy I accomplished this,” said the soft-spoken Cuyom, a Grade 11 student at Dasmariñas East Integrated High School, in Filipino.

Calabarzon’s Jessel Lumapas added the secondary girls’ 400m run gold to her victory in the century dash as she clocked 56.28 seconds to erase the seven-year-old mark Calabarzon’s Jennie Rose Rosales set in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

The 17-year-old Lumapas, who also topped this same event last year in Antique, shoot for three more golds, including the 200m today where she will aim for a sprint double.

“I trained hard for this particular event and I’m happy my hard work is paying off,” said Lumapas, a Grade 11 student at Dasmariñas East Integrated High School.

Records also continued to fall at the pool with Ilocos’ Samantha Corpuz winning the elementary girls’ 400m free in 4:44.53, beating the old record of 4:47.70 of Socsargen’s Thea Diane Canda in Antique last year.

Davao’s Juliana Villanueva ruled the secondary girls’ 800 free in 9:45.40 to smash the old mark of 9:48.12 of Erika Kristy Lukang of Calabarzon set eight years ago in San Jose, Tarlac.

NCR’s Michaela Mojdeh checked in at 1:06.07 in the elementary girls 100m fly to shatter the mark of 1:06.91 of NCR’s Camille Lauren Buico in Tagum, Davao del Norte three years ago.

Verdadero, meanwhile, fell short in his title-retention run in the 400m run, settling for a bronze medal finish behind former teammate Kenneth Corpuz of Socsargen, who came out of nowhere to steal the win in 49.36 as against the former’s 49.95.

Western Visayas continued to challenge Calabarzon in athletics as it raked in three golds, including a record-shattering effort by Trixie Jane Willy in the elementary girls 100m hurdles.

Willy submitted 16.30 to batter the old mark of 16.4 Jesusa Ampunan recorded in San Jose, Tarlac eight years ago.

Teammates John Paul Balsote bagged the elementary boys 110m hurdles in 17.53 while Franz Gela Bontad snared the secondary girls’ discus throw gold with 36.28m.

Cagayan Valley’s John Wayne Pe Benito topped the secondary boys 110m hurdles in 15.14 while Erwin Manca grabbed the secondary boys 5000m in 16:01.60.

In taekwondo at the Sto. Domingo Municipal Gym in Sto. Domingo, Cordillera Administrative Region claimed three of the seven golds disputed in secondary poomsae courtesy of Chelsea Xen Tacay in individual girls A and the group girls’ Tacay, Jessa Tumlayen and Xaphrine Paijhe Rivera and group boys’ Justin Kobe Macario, Stephen Marcus Bamba and Gabriel Ivan Inacay.

Western Visayas’ Cindy Joy Dianses took the individual girls B mint and then partnered with Joshua Cachero to snare the mix pair gold.

Other poomsae gold medalists were Central Visayas’ Johann Concepcion (individual boys A) and Northern Mindanao’s Michael Porras (individual boys B).

In archery at the San Ildefonso Elementary School grounds, Ilocos’ Jared Cole Sua racked up three golds in secondary boys single fita, 60m and 70m to make up for a slow first few days where she settled for a silver in the 50m behind NCR’s Jonathan Ebbinghans Reaport and an egg in the 30m won by Mimaropa’s John Michael Lawrence Tatoy.

In badminton at the Vigan Convention Center, Calabarzon seized the secondary boys and girls team golds. Western Visayas took  the elementary boys and girls team events.