Batang pinoy in Lingayen: Villanueva cops 2 more swim golds

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan , Philippines – Tanker Jamleth Marie Villanueva continued to dish out top form and annexed two more victories, hiking her gold medal haul to five in the Northern Luzon leg of the Batang Pinoy Games at the Dagupan Swimming Center here yesterday.

The 12-year-old Villanueva topped the 50m fly and 100m backstroke in the 12-years-old-and-under category to boost her bid for the meet’s outstanding athlete award. The Olongapo City find earlier ruled the 200m back and fly and led her team to victory in the 4x50m medley relay.

Villanueva, a Grade Seven student at Olongapo Regional High School, clocked 34.07 seconds in the 50m fly, besting Baguio’s Samantha Kaye Payaket’s 35.56 and La Union’s Thea Isabelle Langit’s 35.67.

She later swam her way to the 100m back gold medal in one minute, 19.8 seconds, beating San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan’s Christian Llanne Poquiz (1:22.30) and Baguio’s Allana Sagubo (1:23.50).

“I knew I’ll have a strong chance of winning here because I really prepared and trained hard for this event,” said Villanueva in Filipino.

She goes for No. 7 as she competes in the 100m fly and 4x50m freestyle relay in today’s final day of the swimming competitions.

“I hope I can also win tomorrow (Friday),” she said.

Bulacan’s Rafael Barreto, meanwhile, also continued to lord it over the field in the boys’ side, topping the 50m fly in 30.82, defeating Malolos, Bulacan’s Romeo Gabriel Santos (34.87) and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan’s Baron Kurt Bibat (37.23).

Barreto, 11, also topped the 100m and 400m free on the first day of competitions.

Over at the Narciso Ramos Sports Complex, Pangasinan stamped its class in track and field as it captured seven gold medals in yesterday’s morning events.

Umingan native Francis Marron, who snatched the 400m gold Wednesday, ruled the 400m hurdles then anchored the 4x100m relay team that included double-gold medal winners Mark Laurence Sanguir and Isaac Manibog.

Other winners for the hosts were Briceline Soriano (girls’ 13-under long jump and 100m dash), Rico Navarro (boys’ 13-under long jump and 1500m run), Jasmine Suniga (girls’ 14-15 long jump and 100m dash), Reuben Jacob (boys’ 13-under shotput and discus throw) and Jayson Torribio (boys’ 14-15 400m hurdles and 4x100m relay).

Baguio’s Leah Taltala, meanwhile, won four golds with victories in the 100m hurdles, triple jump, high jump and 4x400m relay.

In badminton, Jervin Dyler Carlos of Malolos City defeated Karl Angelo Ganade of Zambales, 19-21, 21-15, 21-15, to set up a clash against Pangasinan’s Gerald Culaste, a 21-12, 21-9 winner over Candon’s Jameson Garabiles.

The hosts also struck in boxing after their light mosquitoweight bet Francis Ferrer stopped Dagupan City’s Christian Estrada, One minute and 21 seconds into the first round and paperweight Vradford Miniano downed Dagupan’s Rogelio Fercon in the first round.

Another local boy, Eric Gabay also made it through by beating Zambales’ Regnay Anamay.

The other boxing winners were Candon, Ilocos Sur’s Chavito Lumantao (minimum weight), Tarlac’s Arjay Basangan (minimum), Tarlac’s Darren Mateo (minimum), La Union’s Julius Dulce (light mosquito), Baguio’s Joshua Dim-as (mosquito), San Fernando’s Federico Tatunay, Jr. (paper) and Zambales’ Ben John Tolentino (paper).

In baseball, which is staging its national finals here, Manila blanked Caloocan, 7-0, and remained unbeaten after scoring a walkover win over Zambales.