CEBU, Philippines - Cebuana weightlifters Kelle Kaye Rojas and Angelica Lado struck gold medals in record-establishing fashion in the 2014 PSC-POC Philippine National Games at the Rizal Sports Complex in Manila.
Rojas snatched a pair of gilts in the women's open and 53 kilograms division. She broke her own national record in the clean and jerk, from 89 to 90 kgs., then came through a best lift of 66 kgs. in the snatch on the way to set a new total of 156 kgs.
The Business Administration graduate from the Universiy of San Jose-Recoletos also improved her national open women's record in the clean-and-jerk from 88 to 90 kgs.
Lado, for her part, chipped in gold for Cebu City in the open +75 kgs. category. She shattered her national mark in the snatch by a kilo, from 81 to 82 kgs.
Aside from Rojas and Lado, four other Cebuano athletes took home medals. Clark Cuenco salvaged two silvers through the youth and secondary division, while Ann Ando also came up with a double silver via the women's open and youth 48 kgs. class.
University of Cebu's Rufino Iba bagged a silver in the junior division's 62 kgs. class, while his UC teammate Rue Collen Pabuaya won two bronzes in the secondary youth division.
On the other hand, Joaquin Fernandez snared a bronze in the -66 kgs. category of judo event, while Team Cebu faltered in its gold medal campaign in 3-on-3 basketball after losing to San Juan in the final.
In athletics, Kristy Kay Vinco won silver in pole vault, while Jay Ann Racoma netted two bronzes in seniors 100m hurdles and heptathlon. UC's Riza Bauzin minted a bronze in the 5,000m run under the junior women's class. (FREEMAN)