La Union archers, Dasma chessers prevail

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — La Union dominated archery while Dasmariñas, Cavite continued to stamp its class in chess as they shared the second day honors in the Batang Pinoy Luzon leg at separate venues here yesterday.

Geriemee Ranchez and Francine Sophia Navor won two golds each as La Union took all but two of the eight golds disputed in the first day of archery competitions at the San Ildefonso Central School grounds.

Ranchez, a bronze medalist in last year’s Batang Pinoy in Tagum, ruled the boys’ yeoman event with a 652 then bested Miakilo Ramirez in the Olympic round finale for a two-gold romp.

Navor, 11, topped the girls’ bowman event with a 635 then turned back Makati’s Sofia Kyran Manuel in the Olympic round to join Ranchez in the elite group of early double-gold medal winners.

Navor’s younger sister, seven-year-old Frances Alexa, also struck in the yeoman girls’ Olympic round while Carleen Sophia Flores ruled the yeoman girls by hitting 611 for La Union’s two other golds in the day.

“I’m happy for my team, they really worked hard for this,” said La Union mentor Henry Manalang.

Erlzet Nanez of Manila (bowman boys Olympic round) and Baguio City’s Jemuelle James Espiritu (boyman boys single fita) took the other two golds in the event organized by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Dasmariñas, Cavite, on the other hand, swept all four golds staked in rapid chess courtesy of Daniel Quizon, Kylen Joy Mordido, Jerlyn Mae San Diego and Michael Concio Jr.

Concio downed Wycliffe Aromin to complete a seven-game sweep of the boys’ 12-U division while Quizon and Mordido matched the former’s feat by trouncing Mark Vincent Limocon and Iris May dela Cruz in the girls’ and boys’ 15-U sides.