Manilans sustain romp in athletics

Manila continued to dominate athletics, scooping six more gold medals yesterday and inching closer to overall leader Quezon City in the National Capital Region Qualifying Leg of the second Philippine Olympic Festival at the Rizal Sports Complex.

Christopher Ulboc spearheaded the Big City bets by copping his third gold medal in the 10,000m run while buddy Jerome Oclaret clinched his second gold in the discus throw as Manila hiked its gold medal haul in track and field to 19 after raking in 13 in Day 1.

But Quezon City, backed by Mayor Sonny Belmonte, remained on top of the heap, thanks to its 32-gold medal romp in aquatics, which was staged over the weekend at the Rizal pool.

Quezon City paces the field with 32-gold, 24-silver and 19-bronze medal haul followed by Manila (24-20-27), Pasig (20-4-4), Las Piñas (9-25-10), Taguig (5-4-7), Makati (4-7-4), Parañaque (3-11-9), Valenzuela (2-6-1), San Juan (1-6-9) and Muntinlupa (1-1-1).

Ulboc, 17, clocked 35 minutes and 55 seconds in his 10,000m romp in a big follow-up to his victories in the 5,000m run and 3,000m steeplechase Monday while Oclaret, 18, heaved a 38.27m throw to add the gold to his shot put win Wednesday.

“I’m confident I’ll win because I never stopped training,” said Oclaret, a gold medal winner in the last summer’s Palarong Pambansa in Koronadal, South Cotabato, in Filipino.

“I’m happy I won three gold medals,” said Ulboc.

Oclaret and Ulboc were neighbors in Barangay 2 in Misamis Occidental, former classmates at Tangub City National High School and now schoolmates at Far Eastern U where they are taking up education.

“We’re also planning to become soldiers after we finish our studies,” said Ulboc.

Other gold medals winners for Manila in the event, backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, The Philippine STAR, Globe, Accel, AMA Computer College, Asia Brewery, Negros Navigation and Creativity Lounge, were FEU bet Romnick Herida and Ruffa Bargola in 200m dash, Kenneth Grace Ferrera in javelin and Charito Bajuyo in high jump.

Marikina City shone in chess after El Niño Malabiga, a high school student at Sta. Elena High, downed Vincent John Fuerte of Taguig to seize the solo lead with two points in the under-14 boys category.

Jan Jodilyn Fronda of Manila downed Vengielyn Bautista of Marikina City to share the under-14 girls lead with Cherry Ann Mejia of Taguig and Jean Karen Enriquez of Marikina while Jude Emil Fronda beat Ranilo Gil Biag of Manila for joint first with Jesus Alfonso Datu of Taguig in under-20 boys.