NCR’s Bondad sparks record feats

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Tanker Catherine Bondad of the National Capital Region, javelin thrower Bryan Jay Pacheco and swimmer Rafael Barreto of Central Luzon turned in the worthiest performances on a day of record-breakers in the Palarong Pambansa at the Gov. Mariano Perdices Memorial Stadium here.

Bondad, the Palaro’s most bemedalled athlete in the previous meets in Tarlac, Dapitan and Lingayen, Pangasinan, continued her winning streak as she topped the secondary 400-meter freestyle in four minutes, 42.20 seconds and the 100-m backstroke in 1:07.47.

The incoming San Beda-Alabang junior laced her victory in the 100-m back with a another personal feat as she ripped a five-year-old mark of 1:07.94 set by fellow NCR bet Dorothy Hong in Tacloban, Leyte.

“I have five more events including one tomorrow (today) and hope I could win them all,” said Bondad, who was inspired by the presence of her father, Devron, a superitendent of an oil company based in Brazil.

Participants got an added motivation to shoot for the gold and the meet record as  the Department of Education announced an incentives scheme of P3,000 for each winner and another P3,000 for each new mark set.

Bondad’s feat highlighted several records that were shattered, including those pulled off by Pacheco, Barreto and Regine Erin Castrillo of NCR.

Castrillo, 12, destroyed two marks. She ripped the standard in the 50-m fly as she timed in 29.68 in the prelims that surpassed a 17-year-old record of 30.65 forged by NCR’s Lynette Ang in Koronadal, South Cotabato. She later led the NCR to the 4x50-m medley relay gold in 2:13.52, erasing the seven-year mark of 2:14.31 also set by NCR in Naga City.

The other members of her team were Joella Marie Consuji, Raissa Regatta Gavino and Xiardi Chua.

Barreto, 13, struck with a pair of mints in 200-m freestyle for elementary boys, where he clocked 2:12.07 to smash the four-year record of 2:09.33 set by Davao’s Omar Philip Dacera in Tacloban, Leyte and the 50-m fly in 28.50.

The Guiguinto, Bulacan native then became the meet’s first triple gold medal winner after he spearheaded his 4x50-m medley relay teammates Beaver Jess Pangan, McTracy John Alindogan and Marc Audrey Santo to victory in 2:10.53.

“I’m happy,” said Barreto of his exceptional feat.

Pacheco, a towering six-footer at 15, heaved the 700-gram spear to 57.81 meters on his sixth and last attempt, shattering by a whopping six meters the record of 51.51m of Ilocos’ Danilo Abarra recorded last year in Lingayen.

It was the first record-breaker of this weeklong multi-sports meet for elementary and high school students. On a personal side, the feat made up for the heartache he suffered previously in shot put play, where Western Visayas’ Renzy John Gemolaga relegated him to silver medal after a massive final heave.

“I was angry and disappointed yesterday (Monday) when I thought I would win my first gold in shot put,” said Pacheco, an incoming fourth year at Baler National High School.

Pacheco had actually shattered the mark with a 54.13-m and 56.10m throws before coming through with that spectacular effort that foiled the attempts of NCR’s Joshua Vincent Paulud (56.75-m) and Gemolaga (54.83-m), who had to turn things around.

Jessa Mayor of Cagayan Valley stole the thunder from the favorites as she ruled the secondary girls long jump event via a sixth and final jump of 5.30 meters, edging by the closest of margin eventual second placer Mylene Alforque of Northern Mindanao with 5.29-m.

“I was nervous when I made the jump but I concentrated and didn’t let my emotions affect me,” said Mayor, 15-year-old lass from Isabela who won a breakthrough Palaro mint after failed attempts in the last four stagings.

Mary Anthony Diesto, who was an overwhelming favorite to win this event after copping the triple jump gold the day before, was actually leading with a 5.15-m going into the last jump and eventually fouled her final attempt, allowing Mayor and Alforque to overtake her and end up with a bronze.

In arnis, Central Visayas struck with its first gold courtesy of Maximo Caballes Jr. in anyo individual single weapon after amassing 94.30 points, beating Joe Abugadi of Cordillera with 92.70 and Mark Orcena of Calabarzon with 91.50.

Western Visayas’ Crystal AJ Bartolico reigned supreme in the women’s side after garnering 87.40 points to finish ahead of Central Visayas’ Catherine Cuarez (86.00) and Cordillera’s Sharia Jane Salangsang (85.90).

Over at the mat, the Big City’s Regine Reynoso and Carlos Yulo emerged with a couple of gold medals apiece after snaring the individual all-around event and leading their respective squads to the team gold in women’s and men’s artistic gymnastics.