2nd Palaro gold to Verdadero

SAN JOSE, ANTIQUE – Two down, one to go for Veruel Verdadero.

A day after Verdadero ruled the centerpiece 100 meter dash, the bet from Dasmariñas City bagged the gold medal in the secondary boys 400 meters in athletics of the Palarong Pambansa yesterday at the Binirayan Sports Complex track oval.

Verdadero, an incoming ninth grade student from Emilio Aguinaldo College-Immaculate Concepcion Academy in Cavite, clocked 49.58 seconds, beating Marjun Sulleza of Socsargen (50.03 seconds) and fellow Calabarzon runner Jan Vincent Alejandro (50.06).

The second gold for the 15year-old Verdadero – a bronze medalist in the 100m during the recent Southeast Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Ilagan, Isabela – came after he ruled the 100m Wednesday with a time of 10.96 seconds.

For Verdadero, there is one more gold to win.

“I want the 200m in my collection,” said Verdadero, a two-time Batang Pinoy double champion who is the heavy favorite in today’s event. “I have to be in great shape tomorrow.”

Germar Marcelo of Davao region later followed Verdadero’s golden trail as he captured his second gold medal in the secondary boys 3000m steeplechase – after his victorious 5000m run.

Meantime, archer Charmaine Angela Villamor of Baguio City bagged four gold medals in secondary girls’ recurve with victories in the 60m, 50m and 40m for a total of 1301 points in the Fita round held at the Pis-anan National High School track oval.

Lloyd Apawan of Central Visayas won two gold medals with wins in the 36-arrow 60m and 70m secondary boys recurve while Kennyben Gallogo of Caraga finally hit the mark after compiling 1,267 points in the Fita round among 72 participants.