Cebu City pulls away with 19 golds in PNG

CEBU, Philippines — Long  distance runner Prince Joey Lee and lifter Joefrey Frasco plucked two golds apiece to lead the charge as Cebu City pulled away from the rest of the field after the second full day of action in the Philippine National Games (PNG) in separate venues here yesterday.

Counting the medals it won in gymnastics and rugby football both staged in Manila last week, Cebu City now stands with a total of 40 medals broken down into 19 golds, 18 silvers and 13 bronzes.

In the medal standings released by the organizing Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as of this writing last night, General Santos City trails Cebu City with a 6-5-7 gold-silver-bronze haul count followed by Baguio City with a 3-5-3 tally.

In athletics competition at the Cebu City Sports Center, Lee opened his bid with a convincing win in the senior men’s 10,000-meter run with a time of 33 minutes and 27.13 seconds.

Lee powered his way to a golden run in the 10,000m race with a time of 33 minutes and 27.13 seconds.

In the afternoon session, the athletic varsity from the University of Cebu also blew the field in the 5,000m run with a 15:55.80 clocking.

“I wasn’t really expecting that I’d still be running the 5,000-meter. I thought it was just a joke. My focus was just on the 10,000 since I still have to compete in the National Open after the PNG. I just kept my patience and did by best,” said Lee.

Cebu City raked in four more golds in athletics courtesy of Seth Pilapil in junior men’s 200m run, Joselou Rebalde in women’s 200m run, Riza Jane Valiente in 400m hurdles, and Ernesto Ybanez in decathlon.

Cebu City lost one gold though as Archel Marikit was unopposed in the senior high jump.

Over in the City of Naga, Frasco scored a golden double in the youth and open division’s 50 kgs. class in the first day of weightlifting competition.

Franco lifted 80 kgs. in the snatch and 10 kgs. in the clean and jerk for a total of 180 kgs.

Cebu Province’s Fernando Agad also made his presence felt after posting a total of 159 kgs. in the youth 46 kgs. division.

After Frasco, Evangelito Dale Ceniza added gold for TCC via the 56 kgs. class with an 85 kgs. snatch and 112 kgs. in clean and jerk for a total of 195. Cebu Province got the silver through Marjon Agad.

Back at the CCSC, Karen Mae Indaya finally delivered gold for Cebu City in swimming through the 200m backstroke event with a 2:48.24 clocking.

Earlier in the day, Indaya won bronze via the 400m individual medley. Her teammates Junvic Tiro and Razal Cabajar fished out one silver each.

Tiro got his silver in the men’s 50m breast stroke, while Cabajar seized hers through the women’s 100m butterfly.

In arnis played in Mandaue City, Cebu City’s arnisadors seized two golds and one silver. The gilts were produced by Dexler Bolambao in the double- stick, non-traditional form and Jackie Tuada in the open traditional form. Oswen Kenret Bautista handed silver in the traditional form.

Cebu City also had a good start in archery in Danao City with a 1-2 finish from Khalil Justine Abella and  Christian Caresosa in the recurve junior men’s 72-round action.

Caresosa also won bronze in the junior recurve.

Cebu City hopes to rake in more golds as karatedo starts today with national team member OJ Delos Santos leading its charge.

“There’s a lot of talents here in Cebu and I’m so excited to be representing my hometown in the PNG,” said Delos Santos. (FREEMAN)