Home sweet home Cebu City is virtual champ, Cebu Province fourth in PNG

CEBU, Philippines — Co-hosting the Philippine National Games (PNG) proved rewarding and satisfying for Cebu City as it amassed 52 golds, 64 silvers and 56 bronzes to emerge as the virtual champ of the week-long athletic meet featuring some of the best and brightest athletes of the country.

The formal awarding is yet to be done once all the results are already verified and recorded but PNG’s project director Guillermo Yroy told The Freeman that it’s already safe to say that Cebu City as the virtual champ.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity and trust. It was both overwhelming and ecstatic as our primary concern is hosting and giving the delegates a warm welcome and then this (overall championship). The heart should come first because the medal will come next, and I’m happy we are able to achieve this,” said Cebu City Sports Commission chairman Edward Hayco.

As of this writing last night, the medal tally shows Baguio City emerging at second with 38 golds, 36 silvers and 54 bronzes, while Mandaluyong City is at third with a 26-17-27 gold-silver-bronze medal haul.

Cebu Province landed at a modest fourth place with 20 golds, 18 silvers and 28 bronzes, while Mandaue City came in fifth with 18-15-11 tally.

The rest of the top 10 cast cannot be announced yet as they are too close to each other in the leaderboard and the results in dancesport, boxing and indoor volleyball have yet to be submitted to the recorders of the PNG secretariat.

Cebu City’s Norman Joseph “NJ” Enriquez made a historic finish in the tennis event of this Philippine Sports Commission-bankrolled event after sweeping all golds at stake in his class starting with the doubles, mixed and singles event.

NJ Enriquez took his third gold by outlasting brother Marc Norman, 7-5, 6-3 in singles competition.

“I really didn’t expect to win it all, how much more make history in the PNG. This one’s for Team Cebu City and for my family,” said the 20 year-old Industrial Engineering student and varsity of the University of the Visayas (UV).

On the other hand, Cebu City’s sepak takraw team composed of national team member Rhey Ortouste and Abellana National School (ANS) high school players Joshua Moses Mirafuentes and Lyle Kent Monte silenced Manila’s Arnel Isorena, Ryan Reyes and Aleajandro Asuncion, 21-16, 21-16 to snare the gold.

In Danao, Christian Saladaga sealed his bid with a gold in the junior duathlon, just two days after winning a bronze in triathlon in Tabuaelan.

Cebu City’s softball bets grabbed a gold in women’s division and a silver in men’s class.

In Mandaue, Cebu City bagged two more golds from light flyweight Tomas Malazarte and junior lightweight Zion Rondina, while featherweight Camille Abelgas got a silver. Overall, Cebu City earned five golds, four silvers and nine bronzes in arnis.

In the afternoon, Cebu City’s boxers finished off with four silvers and a bronze.

Not even national member Jeorge Rey Edusma can produce a gold for Cebu City as he was stopped by the referee from fighting in the third round against Ian Clark Bautista of Negros Occidental after the former suffered a cut on his left eyebrow.

The other silvers in boxing were from Fatima Flordelis, John Ignatius Macas and Jacob Regis, while the bronze came from Ramges Colina.

Cebu City’s dancesport athletes and volleybelles were able to add more golds to assure its hold of the overall crown.

After settling for bronze in men’s volleyball, its female counterparts pulled off a convincing 25-17, 25-22, 25-17 win over Makati City in the finals at the USC gym.

In dancesport staged at Robinsons Galleria-Cebu, Cebu City plucked four golds, lesser than what was expected of them but still a valuable contribution for the entire squad.

Gold in dancefloor came from James Bryan Camacho and Christine Camacho via the grade C standard , Gylle Niño Diluvio and Yeddah Marie Castañares in the youth Latin C, Jake Emmanuel Corro and Kim Jocson in youth Latin B and Jeffrey Ruben Benarao and Noelyn Mie Pedrano in grade B Latin.

Cebu City’s P10 million reward for being the overall champion from President Rodrigo Duterte and the PSC will have to wait though.

Yroy said they will be inviting the top five LGUs for a formal awards ceremony in Manila soon. —with Gloreitta T. Lariosa