Batang Pinoy: QC, Lucena swimmers in big splash

BAGUIO CITY — Quezon City’s Zoe Hilario and Lucena City’s Mervien Jules Mirandilla led the multiple gold medalists in swimming yesterday in the 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships at the Baguio Swimming Pool here.

Hilario, a 13-year-old student from University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS), dominated the girls 13-15 400-meter individual medley (5:44.26) and the 200m backstroke (2:31.67) to make it three gold medals in her war chest while Mirandilla pocketed his third gold in the boys 13-15 50m butterfly in 27.27 seconds.

“I hope I can win another gold,” said Mirandilla, who earlier won in the 100m free and the 100m fly on Monday.

Mirandilla was actually gunning for his fourth gold in the 50m free, but settled for second to Nigel Romey of Quezon City after timing 26.45 seconds.

Hilario, for her part, goes for a sweep of all her events today when she competed in the 200m free and 100m back. She opened her campaign Monday with a gold in the 200m individual medley.

Roz Encarnacion of Laguna Province also collected her third gold in the girls 12-under 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:55.02 while Parañaque City’s Mikaela Mojdeh also captured the girls 12-under 50m fly (30.57sec) and the 400m IM (5:37.70) for a total of three golds after two days of competition.

At the Baguio Athletic Bowl, Bohol bet Dian Rysiamie Hurano leapt to a personal best of 5.45m to edge Rea Cristine Rafanan of Pangasinan (5.04m) and Nina Fe Aquilisea of Aklan (4.91m) for the girls long jump gold medal.