Coronel, Taguinod claim fourth gold

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — Samantha Coronel of Makati and Jalil Taguinod of Santiago, Isabela matched their four gold medal outputs in the pool while runner Tara Borlain of Pasig City dominated her side in the penultimate day of the Batang Pinoy’s Luzon leg at the President Quirino Stadium here yesterday.

Coronel, 15, claimed the girls’ 100m backstroke gold in one minute, 6.58 seconds then ruled the 50m butterfly in 30.27 seconds while Taguinod, 11, topped the boys’ 200m breaststroke in 2:46.01 to emerge the first quadruple gold medal winners in the weeklong event organized by the Phl Sports Commission in partnership with Ilocos Sur.

Coronel, who earlier won the 50m and 200m, and Taguinod, winner in 200m individual medley, 50m back and 50m breaststroke, actually vied for a fifth gold but both fell short in the 4x50m medley relay where their teams wound up eighth.

Coronel, however, will still see action in the 50m free and 4x50m free relay while Taguinod will compete in the 100m breaststroke today.

“I will be happy with five golds,” said Taguinod, a Grade Six student at Santiago City Montessori School who took the MVP in the last Palaro.

Coronel, a Grade 10 Colegio de San Agustin student, said she has been drawing inspiration from her one-legged coach Arnel Aba, a Paralympian and former Asean Para Games gold medal winner.

“I was inspired by my coach (Aba) who kept telling us that if he can go places with just one leg, what more for us,” said Coronel, whose parents Celso and Elizabeth are both bankers.