Ilustre caps romp with 7th gold
Palarong Pambansa sensation Maurice Sacho Ilustre capped a sterling crossover to the 2015 Philippine National Games (PNG) Luzon Qualifying Leg by pocketing his sixth and seventh gold medal yesterday at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Sizzling on a stormy Sunday, De La SalleZobel ace Ilustre blitzed past rivals in the boys’ 16-and-over 100-meter fly and 50-meter free to put the finishing touches to a clean sweep of his events and become the meet’s most-bemedalled competitor.
The 16-year-old Ilustre clocked 59.02 seconds in beating Quezon City’s Miguel Arellano (1:02.73) and La Union’s Juan Carlos Abad (1:03.40) for the 100m fly plum. Not relenting, Ilustre took the 50 free minutes later, submitting 25.44 against runners-up Robi Mangilinan of La Union (25.55) and John Angelo Vitug (25.79).
“Mission accomplished,” said Ilustre, the seven-gold winner of the 2015 Palaro who targeted the same number of mints in the PNG qualifiers.
The victories earned him slots to next year’s national finals against the country’s elite swimmers. “I look forward to competing against the national swimmers in the finals.”
Manila’s Mary Angelic Saavedra and STROS’ Nicole Pamintuan each collared two mints to finish with four apiece.
Saavedra, 18, ruled the girls’ 16-and-over 100-m fly in 1:11.02 and the 800-m freestyle in 10:08.00 while Pamintuan, 16, reigned in the 200-m individual medley (2:31.76) and 50-m back stroke (31.24).
In athletics over at the Philsports, Aldee Denuyo of University of Santo Tomas crowned herself the fastest woman of the meet a day after topping the women’s long jump.
Denuyo clocked 12.78 seconds in topping the women’s 100-meter dash over Melva Cawid of Baguio (12.94) and Celina Mae Revalde of University of the Philippines (13.41).
Alvin Valdenario of De La Salle-Dasmariñas turned in the quickest time in men’s event at 11.09 seconds as did Ivan Jeffrey Manjares of St. Benilde (11.05) in the boys’ division and Eloiza Luzon of UST (12.66) in the girls’ side.
Meanwhile, Clark Jets hammered out a 22-17 upset over fancied holders Alabang Eagles to snatch the men’s rugby crown over at Nomads.
The Jets, composed of homegrown players, many of whom coming from an orphanage and public school, stole the thunder from the Eagles, the 2013-14 winners bannered by a national player and seasoned, bigger veterans.
Cebu Ladies took the crown in the distaff side after defeating Cena Ladies, 25-12.
Joining them in the winners’ club were wushu champs Wyne Addamag in male freestyle changquan/3-set/2-set (8.92 points), Kapawen Denzel in male freestyle nanquan/3-set/2-set (8.87), Luwinda Goyone in female freestyle changquan/3-set/2-set (8.35), Inso Jones in male free style taijiquan/42 steps (8.97), Marjorie Ngitew in female freestyle taijiquan (8.60), Fredielyn Bonalos in female 2-set/3-set jianshu (8.60), Bruce Tinaud in male freestyle nandao/2set/3-set (8.35), Remelyn Villanueva in female freestyle nando/2-set/3-set (8.8), and Raj Penada in duilian event (8.65).
UAAP runner-up La Salle kicked off its bid in women’s volleyball with a 25-17, 25-20, 25-20 disposal of Jose Rizal U at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Also winning their opening-day assignments were UP Diliman, which nipped Letran, 25-4, 25-11, 25-14, and St. Benilde, which drubbed Southwestern, 25-18, 25-14, 25-17.