Tanker Taguinod emerges triple gold medalist

VIGAN, Ilocos Sur , Philippines  — Palarong Pambansa record-breaker Jalil Taguinod of Santiago, Isabela splashed his way to the 50-meter breaststroke victory yesterday to emerge the first triple-gold medalist in the Luzon leg of the 2017 Batang Pinoy at the President Quirino Stadium here.

Taguinod, 11, clocked 33.58 seconds to beat Camarines Sur’s Sebastian Castro and Pasig City’s Zachary Cano, who took the silver and bronze medals in 39.27 and 40.33, respectively. He also topped the 200m individual medley and 50m back last Tuesday.

The Palaro MVP and 100m breaststroke record holder shoots for more golds in the 100m and 200m breast and 4x50m freestyle relay in the last two days of the competitions.

“Winning has boosted my confidence that’s why I’m more competitive now,” said Taguinod, a Grade Six Santiago Montessori School student who also won a gold in last year’s Batang Pinoy in Tagum, Davao del Norte.

In athletics, Jan Mervin Francisco of Dasmariñas, Cavite added the boys’ discus throw gold to his javelin feat as he posted a 36.62-meter heave to match teammate Jason Jabol’s double gold medal feat. Jabol topped the 100m dash and long jump Tuesday.

Francisco bested Solano, Nueva Vizcaya’s Lord Hanzs Floyd Gaila and Ilagan, Isabela’s Mark Nathaniel Farro, who settled for silver and bronze with 34.26m and 33.72m, respectively.

Another Dasmariñas bet, Charles Antones, struck with gold in the boys’ triple jump in 13.34 meters, beating the Pangasinan duo of Mark Dave Cebino’s 12.74m and Angelo Lobusta’s 12.42m in the event organized and bankrolled by the Phl Sports Commission and held in partnership with Ilocos Sur.

After a couple of bronzes, Muntinlupa City’s Kharl Beruela finally captured a gold by ruling the boys’ 110m hurdles in 15.90, besting Pangasinan’s Jushua Malanum (16.61) and Laguna’s Allen Roy Mationg (16.83).

Beruela earlier fell short in the century dash and long jump.

In taekwondo, Baguio City racked up half of the eight golds disputed with Laeia Simoune Soria and Zeik Jay Ceniza scoring two victories each.