MSST tankers reign supreme

Three swimmers representing Manila Sea Hawks Swimming Team (MSST) won six gold medals each to lead their team’s domination of the first day of the swimming competition of the second Manila Youth Games at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Pool.

Six-year-old Mikee Bartolome, youngest of the three children of former PBA referee Domingo Bartolome, started the big splash for the MSST tankers as she won four golds in girls’six-and-under individual events and two golds in the relay events.

An incoming Grade I student at Holy Spirit, Mikee, who nearly duplicated the seven-gold medal haul of older sister April in last year’s edition of the MYG, bested her rivals in the girls’ six-and-under 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter breastroke before anchoring her team in the 4 x 50 individual medley relay and 4 x 50-meter freestyle.

Judith Elizah "Inna" Cruz swept all her events to become the second swimmer from MSST to win six gold medals.

Youngest among the four children of BPI -MS manager Mar Cruz and wife Susan, Inna dominated the girls’ seven-eight 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter backstroke, 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter breastroke.

The third MSST swimmer to win six gold medals was 14-year-old Thessa Paula Alcantara also from Holy Spirit.

In the boys’ division, 10-year-old Johansen Aguilar of Skip-Jack Swimming Team won five gold medals followed by 14-year-old Ken Uy who represented Philippine Columbian Association with four golds and one silver.

Aguilar collected all five golds in the boys’ 9-10 200 IM, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter backstroke while the 5-foot-7 Uy, an incoming third year high school student at the Philippine Academy of Sakya in Binondo, won all four golds in the same events except the boys’ 13-14 200 IM where he lost to Ahli Frigillana of DWW.

Other MSST swimmers who won gold medals were Alethea Alcantara, younger sister of Thessa who won in the girls’ 11-12 200 IM, 50 meter butterfly and 50 meter freestyle, Amir Lim (Boys 7-8) 50 meter fly, Jasmine Alkhadli in the girls (9-10) 50 m fly and 200 IM, her younger brother Fahad Alkhadli in the boys (7-8) 50 m free and Jesusa Infante in the girls (11-12) 50 m fly.

Meanwhile in other events, defending women’s softball champion Adamson University repeated over PUP and UST to post their fourth straight victory in the triple round competition at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Lady Falcons clawed PUP Lady Maroons 16-1 in their first meeting late Monday afternoon before scoring a 13-0 win yesterday in their second meeting.

In their late afternoon game, the Falcons repeated over UST, 3-2 for their fourth straight wins.

In Little League baseball, Salvador Elementary School scored their second victory after clobbering Beata Elementary School 3-1.

Over at the San Andres Gym, District 5 won over District 3 in straight sets, 25-15, 25-12 in the girls 15 and under volleyball tournament while Philippine Normal University prevailed over Zone 44, 25-0, 25-0.

In the boys division, San Andres trounced Zone 15, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18 while District 6 Team A beat Barangay 604 of Sta. Mesa, 25-21, 25-14.