Cebu City takes early lead

CEBU, Philippines — After netting two gilts in gymnastics last week, Team Cebu City hauled four more golds from two other sports featured in the 2018 Philippine National Games (PNG) that went full blast yesterday mainly at the Cebu City Sports Center.

In the unofficial medal count as of this writing last night, the Niños currently stand with six golds, 13 silvers and seven bronzes followed by General Santos City and Sta. Rosa City with three golds apiece and Las Piñas City and Baguio City with two golds each, so far.

Roneth Ayuda handed Team Cebu City’s first gold in athletics, moments after teammate Ruffa Sorongon missed the gold in the 10,000-meter run to former marathon queen Crystabel Martes of Baguio City.

Ayuda topped the women's high jump with a 1.50-meter best. Her teammate Kristie Kay Vinco got the silver, while Baguio’s Lyka Casta took the bronze.

Later in the day,  Cebu City's Josielo Rebalde and Jelly Mae Paderez came up with a 1-2 finish in women's senior 100m run, while Seth Abraham Pilapil salvaged a silver and King Balliado picked up bronze in the junior division.

Aside from Sorongon and Vinco, TCC snared two other silvers in athletics through Arnel Florentino in the senior men’s 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 10:48.91 and Nicko Caparoso in the youth 3000m race, while Jan Moses Estrada handed bronze via shot put event.

In Danao City, Nino Surban and Pamela Ruiz delivered bronze for Cebu City in cycling’s mounntain bike cross-country event. Surban lorded it over the men’s elite category with a time of one hour, six minutes and 34 seconds.

In the junior level, Ruiz bagged the girls crown with a time of 45:49.

Back at the CCSC, TCC’s swimmers started off with two silvers and two bronzes.

Justine Reign Garrido took home silver in the 50m back stroke with a 37.91sec clocking as well as Karen Indaya in the 800m freestyle with a time of 11:02.99. The bronzes came from Rafael Dacalcal in the 50m backstroke and Razel Cabajar in the 100m freestyle.

TCC also had a silver and a bronze in rugby football played in Laguna.

Another Cebuano athlete in Harold Kim Guaio prevented Team Lapu-Lapu from a medal blackout in athletics by winning bronze in men’s senior steeplechase.

Lapu-Lapu would have gotten a gold medal already, but Lovely Andrin’s victory in the girls junior 5,000m run is yet to be verified if counted as there were only two of them who showed up. (FREEMAN)