Vets dominate, 2 pool bets waver

MANILA, Philippines - National team mainstays Arniel Ferrera, Julius Sermona and Eleazer Sunang dominated their respective events but two pool members struggled and faced the specter of losing their spots in Day 3 of the Philippine National Games at the Philsports Arena in Pasig yesterday.

Sunang topped the shot put event with a heave of 14.6 meters, Ferrera copped the discus throw gold with a 40.39m effort and Sermona reigned supreme in the 5,000m run in 14 minutes and 48.22 seconds.

Jessa Mangsat pocketed the 5,000m gold in the women’s side with an 18:34.71 clocking, way ahead of eventual silver and bronze medalists Flordeliza Donos’ 20:08.27 and Miscelle Gilhuena’s 21:19.79.

Rosie Villarito, who managed just a fourth place finish in last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar, redeemed herself with 48.55m effort for the gold, her feat good enough for the bronze medal in the SEAG.

But javelin thrower Danilo Fresnido groped for form and wound up third with 59.77m behind Air Force’s Melvin Calano and Far Eastern U’s Kenny Gonzales, who snatched the gold and silver in 61.76m and 60.75m, respectively.

National pool member Honelyn Loquinto, meanwhile, may lose her spot in the team after her time of 12.97 seconds in the women’s 100-m dash for silver behind Joy Griffey’s 12.02, was way off  the top four in the junior’s century dash.

Leah Joan Creer and Karen Janario of the Leyte Sports Association-Smart Altas or Team Yolanda, clocked 12.70 and 12.77 seconds to snare the gold and silver while UST’s Glaiza Salcedo grabbed the bronze in 12.78 and Baguio’s Melva Cawid checked in at fourth in 12.95.

FEU’s Bryan Pacheco took the gold in junior javelin in 62.91m, bettering the record of 62.47m he registered in the Palarong Pambansa in Sta. Cruz, Laguna last week.

The weeklong event bankrolled by the PSC and backed by Summit Mineral Water, Forever Rich Phl, Bala Energy Drink, Milo, Standard Insurance and SM Marikina serves as part of the selection process for members of the national team.

Over at the Marikina Riverbanks, Cebu’s Irenedin Lepatan took the gold in female Artistic Tunggal form event in pencak silat, Zamboanga’s Mutmaina Asmad and Emraida Hernandez topped the female Artistic Ganda and Zamboanga B’s Joy Alarcon, Beberly Mahusay and Lhea Garde dominated the female Artistic Regu.

In Tanauan City, Batangas, dragon boat winners were Navy (500m mixed major), Taytay Boys (500m men’s major, 500m 24 years old below major and 500m women’s major), Pyros (500m mixed minor), Iloilo (500m 24 years old below minor), Dragon Pilipinas (500m women’s) and Laguna Rapids (500m men’s minor).

In canoe-kayak, also in Tanauan, Edgar and Edward Galang ruled the kayak doubles, Reymart Nevado and Jairus Molina the canoe doubles and Carlo Ascenci, Mark Frias and Ryan Vidal the Triyak’s men’s.

In football at the Rizal Memorial pitch, Olongapo’s Lighthhouse Amihan FC slammed Candon City, 9-1, and Bulacan State U smashed Carlos P. Garcia, 31-0.