Big City annexes athletics plum

NAGA CITY, Philippines – National Capital Region held off a resurgent Region 1 to also win the athletics overall championship in the PRISAA National Games at the Metro Naga Sports Complex here yesterday.

The Big City bets dominated the centerpiece event the past three days but struggled with a single gold on the last day through Junrey Bano, who notched his second title by winning the 400-meter hurdles (54.7), after ruling the 400-m run earlier.

A fourth-year UST physical education student, Bano also won silvers in the men’s 200m dash, 4x400-meter and classic relay of the event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Commission on Higher Education.

Teammate Benjamin Alejandrino, who closed out his campaign last Thursday, retained the men’s athletics MVP title after topping the men’s 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase and the 4x800m relay.

The UST standout edged Region 7 newcomer and former Palaro star Fran Lindley Navaja, who went five-for-five, capped by the men’s 4x200m relay win yesterday in the sportsfest also backed by Smart Sports, San Miguel Corp., the Naga City government and Sonak Trading.

At presstime, the Metro Manila athletes firmed up their hold of first place with a tally of 76-34-32, Region 6 remained in second (52-23-40), while Region 1, which had 17 golds from athletics alone, was now in solo third place (18-18-11).

Navaja also ruled the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and classic relay events, but Alejandrino retained the individual crown based on a points system that gives more weight to individual golds won.

It also proved to be a big day for Region 1’s Blessie Mae Sanchez, whose team victory in the women’s 4x200-meter relay netted her the meet’s outstanding female performer.

The 19-year-old pride of Mabalacat, Pampanga, also won the women’s 400m, 4x400m and classic relays gold medals, and took the silvers in the 200m, 4x100m and 4x800m relay events.

Sanchez won over Region 6’s Hanny Jean Delfin, who swept all her events in the 3,000m, 5,000m, 10,000m and 4x800m relays, in the event backed by Bioclear, Bacchus Energy Drink and Kabayan Hotel. 

“I trained hard for six months, which accounts for my strong performance,” said Sanchez, who had a forgettable rookie stint in last year’s PRISAA Nationals in Zamboanga.