Mataragnon pedals to golden double

CEBU, Philippines – Team Cebu City's Aaliyah Ricci Mataragnon gained admiration for enduring the pain and making up for her misfortune in triathlon with a double gold and a silver medal in cycling event of the 2015 Philippine National Games-Batang Pinoy Championships staged in Danao City yesterday.

Mataragnon did not finish the triathlon event as she figured in an accident after allegedly being hit by a vehicle when the marshals and enforcers failed to man the traffic well during the course of the race.

After getting clearance from her attending doctor at St. Vincent Hospital, Mataragnon tried her her luck anew despite nursing an injured right foot.

"My foot really hurts. I'm still on medication, but I just kept on praying and tried to do what I can. I really want to race," said Mataragnon.

It turned out to be a wise decision.

Mataragnon got what she missed in triathlon and duathlon in cycling with two golds and a silver. Her second gold came from the 37-kilometer road race with the best time of one hour, one minute and three-tenths of a second.

Davao's Myra Acedo settled for the silver with the time of 1:01:01, while  Olongapo's Veronica Deldio got the bronze in 1:01:20.

Another TCC bet in Catherine Yu bagged a silver in the 11-13 age group as Nicole Del Rosario came up with a bronze. Yuan Chiongbian grabbed silver in the boys 14-15 class won by John Bucat of Pangasinan.

Team Mandaue, on the other hand, saw Jaron Messina winning bronze in the criterium race.

Over in Mandaue City, TCC ended its campaign in weightlifting with four golds handed over by 50 kgs. Marjun Agad, 56 kgs. Dexter John Tabique, 40 kgs. Leonida Cambarijan, and Princess Gale Tirol laced with three silvers and two bronzes.

At the Cebu City Sports Center, Samantha Limos proved that she indeed is the fastest woman in the week-long tilt after winning her second gold via the 200m run with the time of 25.99 seconds, just two ticks short of the meet record. Mary Joy Loberanis ended up with a bronze in the 800m run.

Cebu Province's Aldemar Navarro snared gold in javelin throw in 44.76-meter mark.

At Gaisano Capital-South, Cebu Province reigned supreme in karatedo with six golds, four silvers and 15 bronzes, while main host Cebu City wound up second with three golds, three silvers and 13 bronzes.

Precious Belecario led the victorious Cebu Province karatekas with two golds through the advanced kata 32 kgs. division and kumite. CP got the rest of its golds from +35 kgs. Melquisedec Dela Victoria and Greg Christian Cabrera, 28 kgs. Janine Narbuada, and +54 kgs.Allison Kyle Quiroga.

The gold medal contributors for TCC were Joseph Casquejo, Marie Pauleen Cabrera and Jerson Sanchez. (FREEMAN)