CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Archer Roxanne Jane Loria of Koronadal City, South Cotabato hit it right on target as she ruled the 50-meter recurve to become the first gold medal winner in the Mindanao Qualifying Leg of the second Philippine Olympic Festival at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Complex here yesterday.
Loria, 15, assembled 262 points on 36 arrows to deliver the Games’ first golden feat for Koronadal in a solid performance that impressed her coach.
“I’m happy I won, I hope I could win again,” said Loria, a fourth year student at the Koronadal Comprehensive National High School, in Filipino.
“She’s been training hard for this,” said Koronadal archery mentor Florentino Basadre Jr. of his ward who finished 16th in the Palarong Pambansa last summer. She was a double gold medalist in the regional meet.
So dominating was Koronadal’s showing in the event as Clarissa Malapascua and Grace Layson, who fired 187 and 153 points, took the silver and bronze medals, respectively, to complete a 1-2-3 finish for the lean South Cotabato delegation in this weeklong event backed by The Philippine STAR, Globe, Accel, AMA Computer College, Dragon Works, Asia Brewery, Negros Navigation and Creativity Lounge.
Loria, Malapascua and Layson, are also expected to shoot for more gold medals in the 30-m and all-around recurve in this meet staged to discover future national team members for international competitions, including the 2010 World Youth Olympics.
Hosts Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro, for their part, took charge in chess by either seizing or sharing the lead in all six events at the Leo’s Restaurant in Kaugman.
Jaime Frias downed Simplicio Santiago to seize a share of the lead with Jemuel Calo of Gingoog City, Jeriel Manlimbana of Malaybalay, Bukidnon, Elias Banguiran of General Santos, and Prince Ralph Pidor of Zamboanga City in the Open class with two points each.
Loreshyl Cuizon halved the point with sister Cecilia to share the Open section lead with Genelyn Yanit of Malaybalay, a winner over Magdalina Rio of the host province, in the distaff side with 1.5 points apiece.
Also sharing the lead in other categories were Antonio Chavez and Jan Vincent Cayaba (under-20), Sitie Halia Sabo (under-20), Lennon Hart Salgados (under-14) and Julie Ann Opema (under-14).
In table tennis at the SM Mall, tournament sensation Sergio Benoya bested elder brother Serknight in a marathon 11-8, 13-15, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 triumph in what could be a preview of the gold medal match in the under-14 division.
It was the second straight win by Benoya, the youngest entry at seven, to gain a spot in the next round while Serknight, the second youngest participant at 10, fell to his first loss in two games.
In girls’ under-17 class, Cagayan de Oro’s Gloen Abales upended fancied Dorothy Anjanette Santos and Verlin Ann Lacastesantos of Zamboanga to remain unbeaten.
Abales first smashed Lacastesantos, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8, before she eked out an 11-3, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4 win over Santos to seal a spot in the next round.
Over at the 4th Army Infantry field, Sarangani, North Cotabato and host Misamis Oriental hurdled their first assignments to lead their respective groups in the under-17 category in football competition.
Sarangani downed South Cotabato, 3-0, in Group B, North Cotabato trounced Davao del Norte, 7-2, in Group C and Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental selection edged Maguindanao, 2-1, in Group D.
Fancied Bukidnon towed Group A with an 11-0 demolition of Misamis Oriental behind an impressive four-goal performance by Lois Madrio, according to tournament director Erwin Protacio.