John Lloyd Cabalo, Lora Micah Amogius score hat-trick Down Under

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino tankers John Lloyd Cabalo and Lora Micah Amogius helped anchor their respective relay teams to emerge as triple gold medal winners in the Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia yesterday.

Cabalo teamed up with Joviane Calixto, Romel Bautista, and Reymark Godoy as they clocked three minutes and 29.11 seconds to rule the 4x400m event in 13-14 bracket, edging Al-Nhaquiev Sappari, Nicko Caparoso, Jason Buenacosa, and Norman Carl Luardo (3:32.12) for a 1-2 finish by the Filipinos.

Amogius also nailed her third gold Sunday night as she partnered with Erika Lois Suelan, Zoemarie Hilario and Krisha Joanna Apin in the 400m individual medley which they topped in 4:42.42, beating their rivals from Northern Territory by nine seconds.

The 18-year-old Cabalo of Puerto Princesa earlier won in the 400m and 4x100m relay, while Amogius, 13, of Davao City, won the 100m backstroke and the 200m IM golds Saturday to spark Team Philippines’ early charge in the event.

Monday’s morning session in athletics also saw Romel Bautista bag the gold in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 1:03.16 with the women’s squad of May Therese Gula, Abegail Manzano, Jessel Lumapas, and Ara Delotavo also clinching the gold in 4x400m in 4:37.10.

The Pinay swimmers bagged five gold medals Sunday with John Paul Elises posting a new Arafura Games record in the 15-16 men’s 100m fly in 1:00.11. He shattered the previous mark of 1:00.33 set by Ross Pearce in 2001.

Other winners were Joshua del Rio (men’s 15-16 200m breaststroke), Fritz Jun Rodriguez (men’s 17 and over 100m butterfly), and Apin (800m freestyle).

Mark Anthony Casenas also captured his second gold Sunday in the men’s long jump while Franz Gala Bintad and Eliza Coyum scored victories in men’s javelin throw and women’s 100m hurdles, respectively.

Meanwhile, Jenelyn Olsim bowed to an Aussie foe in the semifinal bout in the women’s female elite -54kg to settle for a muay bronze.