Baguio POF overall champ

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur – Baguio City captured the overall championship while Bulacan’s Jessie King Lacuna ran away with the best individual performance as the Central Northern Luzon Qualifying Games of the second Philippine Olympic Festival ended yesterday at the Elpidio Quirino Stadium here.

Baguio capped its performance with a 13-gold splurge in taekwondo to finish with 80 golds, 68 silvers and 71 bronzes while the 13-year-old Lacuna came away with a spectacular 13-gold performance in the pool to emerge the Games’ most bemedalled athlete.

"I was expecting 11 before the event because I didn’t expect to win in two breaststroke events where I’m not too strong," said Lacuna, a Pulilan native who is a first year high school student at Bulacan State University, in Filipino. He won two golds, two silvers and one bronze in last year’s Palarong Pambansa in Naga City.

Lacuna reigned supreme in the 100-meter, 1500m, 50m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 100m and 200m backstroke, 400m and 200m individual medley, 100m and 200m breaststroke and 100m butterfly and 200m butterfly.

La Union’s Paula Isabel Ordono lorded it over the distaff side with a nine-gold medal performance.

The sixth grader from St. Louis University in San Fernando, La Union splashed her way to the 100m, 50m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 400m and 200m individual medley and 200m and 200m breaststroke gold medals.

But it was the 298-strong Baguio delegation that proved to be the biggest winner in the meet.

"We didn’t expect we’ll win here because we just played in our regional games back in Baguio," said Baguio Mayor and delegation head Reinaldo Bautista, Jr.

Pangasinan finished second (56-36-45) and La Union third with 39-42-45.

Rounding up the top 10 were Bulacan (37-25-15), Nueva Ecija (32-22-25), Zambales (24-34-24), Ilocos Norte (20-18-25), Angeles (16-13-17), host Ilocos Sur (10-17-32) and Benguet (10-13-26).

Mark Aldrin Rico, Dennis Pizzaro, Philene Tumbaga, Devorah Alacar, Apriel Solimen, Daniel Kevin, Ivan Nino Tindoc, Benjamin Keith Sembrano, Fernand Delizo, Francis Bambico, Patricia Sembrano, Iyra Tindoc and Jessica Arellano delivered the goods for Baguio at the mat.

Baguio also shone in judo, muay and wrestling, including victories by Jayson Balabal and Kevin Quitola, who bagged a gold medal each in the 84-kilogram and 46-50kg weight class.