Frigillana fuels bid for golden repeat

NAGA CITY, Philippines – Tanker Ferdinand Frigillana of the National Capital Region swept his first three events in record-setting fashions as he set in motion his bid for a second straight MVP crown in the PRISAA National Games at the Metro Naga Sports Complex pool here yesterday.

Fresh from last week’s stint in the Indian Ocean All-Star Challenge in Perth, Australia, Frigillana ruled the men’s 200-meter freestyle and butterfly then anchored the NCR men’s squad to victory in the 4x50-meter medley relay.

The 21-year-old San Beda College Computer Science student, who captured seven golds to win the MVP honors in last year’s PRISAA Games in Zamboanga, turned in a 2:05.01 clocking in the men’s 200 free, breaking his previous mark of 2:09.03.

Region 5’s Brylle Zapanta also broke the old record with a 2:08.42 clocking for silver while Frigillana’s NCR and San Beda teammate, Jericho Escobar, settled for bronze in 2:13.9 in the sportsfest sponsored by the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The dusky 5-foot-8 Frigillana also dominated the 200-m fly, clinching the gold in 2:18.10, two seconds better than his old record of 2:20.39, while fellow Bedan Neale Paulo Banagale took the silver (2:20.84), barely beating bronze medalist Haroon Cali of Region 11 (2:20.89).

Frigillana then steered the NCR squad, which included Teohdy Gavino, Edison Dinglasan and McGyver Reyes, to victory in the medley relay, posting a 1:53.28 clocking that erased the previous standard of 1:56.04.

“Hopefully, I can match my seven golds in Zamboanga,” said the 2005 Southeast Asian Games veteran.

Frigillana, also the reigning UAAP men’s swimming MVP, guns for two more golds today as he competes in the finals of the men’s 100-meter and 1,500-m freestyle Wednesday.

It was also a big day for female NCR swimmer Apryl Pearl Herrera, who matched Frigillana’s three golds in the meet also backed by Smart Sports and San Miguel Corporation.

The 19-year-old UST Electrical Engineering sophomore copped the 200-meter freestyle (2:31.62), 50-m free (30.28) and was a member of the winning 4x50-meter women’s relay quartet that also included Marvie Borja, Josephine Pilapil and Jorelle Vinluan (2:21.52).

“I’m not too happy with the victory because I didn’t match my best times,” said Herrera, who won three golds as a Palaro standout when the meet was held here in 2003.

Josephine Pilapil and Aquino were the other triple gold medalists for the powerhouse NCR squad, which took 12 of the 16 golds up for grabs for the day.

Pilapil ruled the women’s 100-meter breaststroke (1:26.87), 400-m indvidual medley (6:17.32) and the 4x50-m medley relay.

Aquino, on the other hand, bagged the men’s 50-meter free (25.76), 100-meter back (1:03.86) on top of NCR’s medley relay triumph.

Region 7’s Zoe Menguito secured the men’s 200-m fly (2:43.3), Region 6’s Mark Cornel won the 100-meter back (1:09.), Region 4A’s Anna Puyo in the women’s back (1:17.36), teammate Munejiko Ando in the women’s 400-m IM (5:15.82) and Region 6 team of Joerelyn Padronia, Alexandra Catolico, Mengie Makilan and Chrizel Lagunday (4:46.44) in the women’s 4x50-meter medley relay were other swimming victors.

Athletics also swung into action at the nearby track oval, which was strucky by a heavy downpour in the middle of the afternoon Tuesday.

Region 7’s Fran Lindley Navaja and Region 4-A’s Josephine Altamira emerged as the meet’s fastest athletes after ruling the men’s and women’s 100-meter sprints, respectively.

A double gold medalist in last year’s Palarong Pambansa held in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Navaja overcame a slippery track to nose out Region 4A’s John Rick Villanueva, clinching the events in 10.8 seconds against his closest pursuer’s 10.9. Region 7’s Anthony Santillan (11.1) finished third.