Cebuano athletes keep golden assault in Batang Pinoy

CEBU, Philippines - Team Cebu City garnered several golds on various fronts spiced up with a record-breaking performance in weightlifting event of the 2014 Philippine Youth Games- Batang Pinoy National Finals, which came to a close yesterday in Bacolod City.

Brothers Eduardo and Jeffrey Jimenez added glitter to TCC's bid with a pair of medals in amateur boxing.

The 12-year-old Eduardo, a first-timer in this Philippine Sports Commission-organized event, defeated Cagayan de Oro's Miguel Acaylar via unanimous decision to snare the kiddieweight division's gold.

His older brother Jeffrey, on the other hand, eked out a split decision win over John Vincent Pannga to rule the antweight class category.

Another TCC bet, Limber Cailap, wound up with bronze after losing to Bacolod's Dindo Sabillo in their semifinal encounter.

On the other hand, weightlifter Evangelito Dale Ceniza added gold for TCC in record-breaking fashion via the 50 kgs. division.

Aside from Ceniza, four other weightlifters who are products of Cebu City Sports Commission's grassroots development program billed as 'Bakbakan sa Sugbu', also earned medals. Loenida Cambirijan grabbed the 38 kgs. gold, Princess Gale Tirol had silver in the 48 kgs. division, Bernadette Gaviola got bronze in the 62 kgs., while John Dexter Tabique won bronze in the 56 kgs. class.

In taekwondo, TCC bagged a gold through Luigi Estrada, while Julia Ybarra claimed silver. Anthony Navarro, James Louie Callimo and Ellen Joy Villacarlos settled for silver.

TCC's athletics team sealed its campaign with two golds, a silver and a bronze.

After Janreb Durano's bronze, Abellana National School's Mike Lopez emerged as the fastest man after ruling the century dash . He also had a silver in the 200m dash topped by Cebu Province's Enrico Avila.

Lopez had another reason to celebrate as he anchored TCC to a golden finish in 4x100m relay together with University of Cebu's Gerald Tabar and Mitch Dawa and University of San Carlos' Keith Pilapil.

In lawn tennis, the Prince-sponsored University of the Visayas student Francis Hidalgo ended his bid with a silver and a bronze. He bowed to Sibugay's Jose Mari Pague, 6-2,2-6, 10-8 in the boys singles final. His bronze came from the doubles event together with Marc Suson. (FREEMAN)