Record-breaking Easternians shine in FCAAF Meet

CEBU, Philippines — The spirited track and field athletes of Cebu Eastern College (CEC) delivered a record-breaking performance spicing up their highly successful campaign in the Filipino Chinese Amateur Athletic Federation (FCAAF) National Invitational Track and Field Championships 2024 at the PhilSports Track Oval in Pasig City recently.

Overall, the Easternians carted away 62 medals broken down into 21 golds, 30 silvers, and 11 bronzes.

Jayeon Zarl Barriga spearheaded CEC’s hot charge with five golds and one silver to become the hands down choice as Most Outstanding Athlete (MOA) in Male C category.

Barriga, who is also a basketball varsity player of the CEC Dragons that emerged as champion in the elementary division (12 Under) of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 23 last year, powered CEC to a new FCAAF record in the 100-meter mixed relay together with Sophia Nicole Abas, Richena Faith Vargas, and Steven Oswald Bere.

They finished the century dash in just 57 seconds to break the old mark of one minute and 3.5 seconds.

In Male D, James Washington Ong and Jhon Cristian Paraguso both produced a triple double in 4X50m, 4x100m, and 4x100m mixed relay, while Crestian Daniel Paraguso and Ron Anthony Grancho minted a pair of golds apiece in 4x50m and 4x100m relay.

Not to be outdone, sisters Joeie Eireen and Julienne Eve Yap bagged golds in 4x100m mixed relay in Female D, while Claire Dabon had her fair share of the limelight after reigning supreme in the 60m run.

The others who contributed medals for CEC were John Frederick Ong, Ramon Oropesa III, Justine Sanico, Xizhi Prescillas, Julianne Marie Claro, Nikah Odron, and Ziyi Precillas.

CEC made such noteworthy accomplishment behind its intensive athletic program under the guidance of coach Maria Dolores “Sagay” Sagarino-Opoc, a decorated trackster during her prime.

Mentored by coach Danny Villadolid in her glory days as student-athlete of Cebu Central Colleges (now the University of Cebu), Sagarino-Opoc was a consistent gold-medal winner in high jump, long jump, and 100m hurdles events in the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (now the CESAFI) and in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet way back in early 1980s.

Sagarino-Opoc was also a silver medalist in high jump and heptathlon in the National Open Track and Field Championships in 1982 and 1984. Among her contemporaries were some of the legends in Philippine sports in the mold of Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Elma Muros-Posadas, and Corazon Magante. — (FREEMAN)