NCR edges Calabarzon in swim duel

DAPITAN CITY, Philippines – The vaunted National Capital Region swimming team immediately made waves at the start of pool competitions even as Western Visayas continued its dominance in athletics yesterday in the 2011 Palarong Pambansa here.

Led by Mark Joseph Rominquit’s three-gold medal romp, the Big City bets collared eight mints in both elementary and secondary divisions to get the better of long-time rival Calabarzon (seven golds) in Day 1 of swim action at the newly constructed pool of the Jose Rizal Memorial State University Complex. 

Rominquit, a seventh grader at Lourdes School in Mandal, teamed up with Abdulrahom Nooh, Andrae Miguel Pogiongko, and Alnair Guevarra to win the boy’ 6-12 years 200-meter medley relay, following up his triumphs in the 100m backstroke and 50m butterfly.

Rominquit and pals checked in at 2:07.33, shattering the old 2:08.27 mark set by another NCR crew – Mark and Matthew Tano, Malco Dacanay and Alvin Alco – in 2006.

“I worked hard to try to improve on my one-gold, one-bronze record in last year’s Palaro,” said the 12-year-old Rominquit who clocked a winning 28.37 seconds in the 50 fly and 1:08.55 in the 100m back.

Thrower Ralph Efraem Gesulgon carried Western Visayas on his broad shoulders as they sustained their top form in athletics.

Making his last appearance in the annual sportsfest, the hefty, 5-foot-9 Gesulgon handily won his pet event – secondary boys’ javelin throw – for the fourth straight time as Western Visayas high school team racked up its collection to four golds in the field events through yesterday afternoon.

The 18-year-old Gesulgon heaved the spear to a distance of 52.30 meters on his sixth and last try, which was actually off his 52.48 m winning mark in 2010 but enough to beat teammate Joshua Barredo (49.99 m) and Central Luzon’s Regie Ric Pangan (49.61 m) for the plum.

“Talagang nag-training ako dahil gusto kong makuha ang gold sa javelin sa apat na taon ko sa Palaro (I really trained hard to complete a sweep of the javelin gold in the Palaro),” said Gesulgon, a high school graduate from KirayanNational High School in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

It was the second mint for this tourney for the hulking young lad, who snatched the secondary boys’ shotput plum in record fashion the other day. 

“First time kong maglaro ng shotput dito sa Palaro, mabuti naman at nanalo ng gold. Sana maka-gold din ako sa last event ko, high jump (I’m glad to win the shot put gold in my first attempt and hopefully this will inspire me to vie for the gold in high jump),” said the Ilonggo, who’s set to go to college at Mapua.

He joined fellow WV stalwart Gerald Mark Layumas from La Carlota as the meet’s only double-gold track and field bets so far. Layumas topped the secondary boys’ triple jump with a 14.34 m golden effort at the expense of Southern Tagalog’s Noverson Valverde (14.02m) and Earl Ronielle Salines of Central Visayas (13.87 m) late Monday, adding to his long jump conquest early that day.

The Big City continent struck gold in secondary girls javelin throw, through Perlita Ynot Yra (5.30 m), who conquered Western WV bets Cyrenejoy Magbanua (5.27 m) and Leemarie Carugda (5.17m).