Arnaiz settles for shot put silver

CEBU CITY - Sailormon Arnaiz prevented a medal shutout for Davao City as he salvaged a silver in senior men's shot put, at the start of the Philippine National Games (PNG) 2018 athletics competition here yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.

The 21-year-old Senior High School graduate of Davao City National High School heaved the iron ball to a distance of 12.27 meters in his last throw of the finals round while Mandaluyong City’s Rogelio de Borja registered 12.49m to annex the gold. Jan Estrada of Cebu City ended up with the bronze (12.10m).

Arnaiz, a discus throw bronze medalist in the 2016 BIMP-Eaga Friendship Games, was trailing second from the start of the competition.

“Bawi tanang kahago nako (All my sacrifices paid off),” he said via Sun.Star Davao Facebook live after his silver performance in his PNG debut.

He will next compete in discus throw but downplayed his chance of winning the gold, adding, “Sulayan lang kay kulang ko og praktis (I will try since I lack practice.” He was thankful that he was able to see action here, citing coach Toto Lacanaria for training him, his family for their support, the city givernment of Davao and his teammates.

Arnaiz plans to study sports management in Manila.

He said that he used to play boxing when his family migrated from Cebu but he did not pursue it since boxing was not acrive in Davao City.

He also learned MMA, played dragonboat and American football with the Legionnaires.