Grabador clinches 3 swim golds

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region tanker Carla Grabador made big waves at the start of the CHED National Games, winning three gold medals at the Rizal Memorial Swimming Pool yesterday.

Grabador reigned supreme in the 200-meter freestyle and butterfly then spearheaded the NCR quartet to victory in the 400m freestyle relay in Day One of the weeklong event organized by CHED chaired by Emmanuel Angeles and backed by Philippine Sports Commission chair Harry Angping, Smart, AMA and STI.

“I wasn’t expecting to win because I hardly had time to practice for this event,” said Grabador, an 18-year-old first year public administration student at University of the Philippines.

Grabador eyes two more golds today as she competes in the 800-meter freestyle, her forte, and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

Santo Tomas standout Serenata Saluan also took the spotlight as she surpassed a collegiate mark in the 1500m run with a clocking of 4: 37.4 at the Rizal Memorial track oval.

The 17-year-old education freshman eclipsed the UAAP mark of 4:38.80 set by former schoolmate Bernardita Mag-aso two years back.

Saluan competed in the CHED Games after pocketing P10,000 for reigning supreme in the 5km race of the Century Tuna run Sunday.

“There was really no pressure, I just ran the same way I did in the UAAP although a little bit faster,” said Saluan, bronze medalist in the Palarong Pambansa in Tacloban, Leyte last year.

Saluan’s teammates Keizel Pedrina, Jenny Togle and Wenlie Maula, meanwhile, struck gold in the 400m, 100m hurdles and 1500m, respectively.

Another NCR bet Claire Adorna won two gold medals in the 400m individual medley and 50m freestyle.

Ferdinand Frigillana, a San Beda ace who harvested seven gold medals in the PRISAA National Games in Naga last year, copped the 200m freestyle gold and the 400m individual medley bronze to spearhead the NCR charge in the men’s side.

Also among the NCR individual victors were John Simora (100m breast), Neale Bangale (200m butterfly, Jeron Mercader (100m back), Jacklyn Juinio (100m back) and former Batang Pinoy standout Ronald Allan Guiriba (50m free).

The NCR team of Mercader, Simora, McGyver Reyes and Teohdy Gavino also bagged the men’s 200-meter relay gold to round out the gold medalists of the Big City bets, who ruled 12 of the 16 swimming events yesterday.

Region 4-A (Calabarzon) accounted for three swimming golds through Jaevico Dalay (400m individual medley, 400m freestyle relay and 200-m medley relay).

Ciela dela Cruz delivered Region 3’s (Central Luzon) lone gold by winning the women’s 100-meter breaststroke.