Archers, runner, cyclist dominate 3rd day of Batang Pinoy Nationals
VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur— Jathniel Caleb Fernandez of Baguio City and Adrianna Jessie Magbojos of Sta. Rosa City shot their way to a five-gold medal effort in archery to emerge the most successful young athletes so far in the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) Batang Pinoy National Championships at the San Ildefonso Central School.
The nine-year-old Fernandez, a third-grader at the Baguio Pines Family Learning Center, ruled the 10 meters (304), 15m (243), 20m (260), 30m (257) and final result (1064) one after the other.
Magbojos was also unflappable in winning gold medals in the 10m, 15m, 20m, 30m and total score.
Bacolod City’s Mico Villaran, meanwhile, captured his third gold under the glaring sun in athletics while Maritanya Krog continued to provide a look-see on who’s the future of Philippine cycling.
Villaran, 15, said he never expected to win a third gold medal— in the under-15 400-meter hurdles of athletics—because of a strong field. But his time of 57.72 seconds earned him the top of the podium over Virgilio Ramos (58.76 seconds) of Laguna and John David Mangilin (1:01.65) of Biñan.
“It’s a great feeling that all my hard work and sacrifices throughout the years have finally paid off,” said the son of a jeepney driver who also won gold medal in the 110m hurdles and 200m on Sunday.
After a dominant campaign in the criterium over the weekend, Krog, 13 and racing for Caloocan City, hurdled the girls’ 13-under individual time trial with relative ease with a clocking of 12 minutes and 39 seconds, 18 seconds faster than Calapan’s Jhanah Abella and 22 seconds over Iloilo’s Maria Louisse Alejado.
Like Villaran, Krog also didn’t expect to be a cut above the field in the cycling competitions that started and finished in front of the Ilocos Sur Provincial Capitol.
“I didn’t expect to establish my best time in the ITT,” said Krog, the youngest in a family of cyclist that include parents Marita and Edward and siblings Rex Luis and Mathilda, who are either former or current national team members. “My second gold medal is an indication that I have to pursue my dream of becoming a member of the national junior or maybe the national team someday.”
Krog aims for her third gold in the road races that were moved to the Vigan-bantay Diversion Road after the Ilocos Sur capital experienced heavy traffic Monday because of the cycling competitions.
Also winning gold in cycling’s ITT were Jerick Cabael of Pangasinan (boys 13-below), Harvey Dolutan of Iloilo (boys 14-15 below) and Aira Gregorio of General Santos City (girls 14-15).
Rafael Guinto, meanwhile, bucked the heat in snatching victory in the boys’ under-15 5,000 meters run in 17:27.20. Gian Carlo Aiso of Leyte settled for silver in 17:29 and Julius Tolentino of Pangasinan bagged bronze in 17:30.
The other gold winners in athletics were Marjorie Ragudos (girls high jump), Sophia Dela Vega (girls long jump), Prince Branzuela (boys discus throw), Marc Angelo Cabiluna (boys long jump), Courtney Trangia (girls’ discus throw), Leonalyn Compuesto (girls’ 200m) and Angel Villagracia (girls’ 100m hurdles).
The multi-sporting event for athletes aged 15 and younger is organized by the Philippine Sports Commission.