Osorio, Amarga snare athletics golds

MANILA, Philippines - Manila’s John Lloyd Osorio and Mariesol Amarga of Taguig-Pateros shared the spotlight yesterday in ruling the high school boys and girls 400-meter races as the National Capital Region Palaro athletics competitions got under way at the Marikina Sports Park.

Osorio, who regularly competes in the Patafa weekly relays,topped the boys’ 800 in a time of two minutes, 5.5 seconds, relegating Manila teammate John Lester Vidal to runner-up honors (2:06.6) while Quezon City’s Nigel Adrian Ganzon took third (2:10.1).

A veteran of the 2012 Batang Pinoy National Games, Amarga clocked 2:26.26 in handily winning the gold, Pasig’s Marie Canton settled for silver (2:35.2) and Alme Padillo Taguig-Pateros (2:38.0) bagged the bronze in the meet hosted by Parañaque, which is celebrating its 17th anniversary of cityhood.

Marikina’s Ervin John Arroyo and (2:27.6) and Maria Amte Villanueva of Manila (2:45.2) were the topnotchers in the elementary boys and girls divisions of the 400-meter run.

Over at the Rizal Memorial pool, Parañaque bet and 2014 Palarong Pambansa double gold medalist Seth Isaak Martin were among the early winners in securing the gold medal in the boys elementary 100-meter backstroke in 1:07.34.

Marikina’s Jules Ong topped the girls elementary 100-meter backstroke in 1:14.32 while Alnair Guevarra of Las Piñas secured the gold medal in high school boys 400-meter backstroke with a time of 1:02.62.

Maurice Sacho Ilustre and Quezon City’s Romina Rafaella Gavino clocked 4:18.5 and 4:55.66, respectively, in topping  high schools boys and girls 400-meter freestyle event while Las Piñas City’s Alnair Guevarra checked in with a time of 1:02.62  in capturing the gold in the high school boys 400-meter backstroke.