It seems that the athletes from Ilo-ilo National High School have no plans of slowing down as they continue to hold the lead in the secondary division after day two of the 17th Milo Little Olympics Visayas Regional Finals.
Ilo-ilo NHS, back in this annual multi-sporting meet for the first time in 12 years, continued its dominating performances on the tracks as it added five gold medals yesterday for a total of nine.
The team now holds a record of nine golds, three silvers and three bronze medals to maintain its lead against the 16-time defending champion University of Cebu, which has a 5-7-4 (gold-silver-bronze) tally.
With just the relay competitions left in the medal-rich athletics event, the Ilonggos could possibly pull off an upset against the perennial athletics powerhouse UC and bag the 60 points at stake for track and field.
Ilo-ilo’s ace runner Axel Catalbas led the medal haul as he bagged his third gold in this meet by winning the 3,000-meter steeple chase event. Last Saturday, he won the 5,000 and 1,500 events.
John Ganaba and Ezel Divinagracia added more golds for Ilo-ilo as they ruled the 400-meter and 110-meter hurdles, respectively. Lanz Jeremy Halongong contributed a gold in the discus throw while Joneza Mie Sustituedo was the last gold medal winner for Ilo-ilo after bagging her second gold medal by topping the 800m run. She also won the 1,500m race last Saturday.
UC, a team struggling with the graduation of some of its track stars, managed to win four gold medals yesterday headed by Raul Perez Jr.’s wins in the 200m and 110m hurdles. Doren Romeral also ruled the 100m hurdles while Shantel Tanucan bagged a gold in the long jump event.
Other Negros teams also put up impressive performances in secondary and elementary taekwondo competition.
Jimbrey Chua of Talisay City, Negros Occidental dominated the fin weight division while Jason Locsin of the Esteban Abadia Memorial High School topped the flyweight division. Roensel Escoyo got a gold in the heavy weight division. Escoyo is from Dr. V. Gustillo Memorial National High School.
Tiarra Rayne Buensalido of the Manuel Roxas Elementary School Bacolod topped category one kumite while Faith Hope Duca of Education Training Center School Bacolod won category two. Stephanie Aristas of Bacolod Alliance Christian School topped category three and Catherine Dinsay of Talisay Negros Occidental ruled category four.
Meanwhile, two-time defending elementary champion USC-BED looks headed for a grand slam finish as it still leads the pack with seven golds, one silver and two bronze medals after the second day of the competition.
USC-BED also got most of its medals from athletics.
Gold medalists yesterday for USC-BED were Vince Menard Galan (800m run), Mary Joy Loberanis (800m run) and Jholo Pakanna (200m run and 110m hurdles).
USC-BED also got a gold medal in the secondary lawn tennis boys competition at the Alta Vista tennis courts in Pardo.
The team, composed of siblings Jarred and Jermil Laurel, Christopher Encarnacion, John Godfrey Seno and Charlie Cabarubias, beat netters from the University of the Visayas (UV).
In gymnastics at the Cebu City Sports Center, UV bagged a gold each in the elementary and secondary.
VIOLENCE IN VOLLEYBALL
Meanwhile, Visayas delegation head and regional finals organizer Ricky Ballesteros is waiting for the formal complaint of the head coach of Colegio del Santo Niño’s boys elementary volleyball team after he was allegedly punched by a referee officiating their game.
The incident happened during a match between Colegio del Santo Niño and Moalboal Central Elementary School. Moalboal staged an upset against the defending champion Colegio del Santo Niño.
After the game, the coach and some parents of the players from Colegio del Santo Niño complained about bad officiating. According to Ballesteros, the referee approached Colegio del Santo Niño’s coach and punch him.
Names of the coach and the official were not available as of press time.
Volleyball tournament director Teresita Ga decided not to comment about the incident yet but she said they will investigate the matter.
“We are waiting for a formal complaint from the coach. I heard that they reported the incident to the police,” said Ballesteros.