Jerlyn Mae San Diego rules chess; Baguio tops overall race

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan, Philippines — Jerlyn Mae San Diego of Dasmariñas topped the blitz event to complete a three-gold sweep of chess even as Baguio officially topped the overall medal race for the second straight year at the close of the Batang Pinoy National Finals at the Palawan State University campus here yesterday.

San Diego, 14, lost to Edelyn Vosotros of Cebu City in the seventh and final round but edged Cebu Province’s Alpheca Gonzales via tiebreak to rule the girls’ 13-15 division and cap an impressive chess sweep that included victories in the rapid and standard events of this weeklong meet organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and supported by Milo.

The eight-grader from First Uniting Christian School, who pocketed two silvers and a bronze in the Eastern Asia Youth tilt in Thailand a couple of months back, said her next goal is to get a Woman International Master title jut like elder sister, Olympiad veteran Antoinette Marie.

“I dream of becoming a Woman Grandmaster but I will have to get the WIM first before anything else,” said San Diego, who already has one of the three required norms to obtain the WIM title after a solid performance in Dubai early this year.

San Diego accounted for half of the six golds won by Dasmariñas with the two coming from Mark Jay Bacojo in rapid and blitz.

Michael Concio has one in the premier standard division Friday.

Pulilan, Bulacan’s Allan Gabriel Hilario emerged the boy’s blitz champ while Cagayan de Oro’s Ruelle Canino reigned supreme in girls’ blitz.

The Dasmariñas Monarchs also captured the boys’ basketball gold following a 101-85 triumph over Mariveles, Bataan that was more than enough to capture some measure of pride after failing to finish in the top five.

Cagayan de Oro crushed Iloilo, 108-66, to cap an impressive eight-game sweep of girls’ basketball.

Baguio won the team race with a 61-gold, 45-silver and 66-bronze medal haul that mostly came from the martial arts, including 14 in wuhsu and 10 in Muay Thai.

Eagle-eyed archer Aldrener Igot Jr. of Cebu City came out with the worthiest individual performance after he swept all eight events.

It helped Cebu City to a second-place finish with a 34-34-29 (gold-silver-bronze) finish.