The Central Visayas (Region 7) team kicked off its title-retention bid in the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) National Collegiate Games on a high note as it bagged gold medals in athletics, swimming and tennis yesterday at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Cultural Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan.
Athletics contributed four gold medals, swimming chipped in three while tennis had one gold medalist going into the second day of action in this annual multi-sporting event.
University of Cebu’s (UC) Ernesto Ybanez Jr. and Irene Baluran shattered their own national records in the long jump and triple jump events to bag gold medals for Central Visayas.
Ybanez Jr. broke his 2012 national record in the triple and long jump events by posting a new record of 14.50 meters and 7.01 meters, respectively. Baluran, on the other hand, logged a new record of 11.48 meters in the women’s triple jump.
University of Southern Philippines-Foundation’s (USPF) Kennick Alivio added another gold for Region 7 by dominating the shot put event with a heave of 13.41 meters.
SWIMMING GOLDS
In swimming, Loren Dale Echavez accounted for two gold medals after ruling the 200-meter freestyle with a time of two minutes and 16.20 seconds and the 50-meter freestyle, wherein she clocked 27.90.
The other gold medal in swimming was won by the relay team of Ric Solijon, John Arriola, Andre Pacheco and Paul Jumamil, which dominated the 4×100-meter freestyle.
The remaining gold medal was won by the women’s tennis team, which defeated Davao in the finals.
The team was made up of Sally Mae and Sally Dine Siso, Keziah Jabines, Shara Lyn Tunacao and Claire Lazaga.
Central Visayas is expecting more golds in the coming days, especially after some of its bets have advanced in their respective competitions.
BOXERS SHINE
Cebuano boxers Ian Refuela of SWU and Robert Eturma of the University of the Visayas (UV) made it to the semifinals after disposing separate opponents yesterday. UV’s Dan Lou Codilla and Kevin Jake Cataraja will also fight in the final round today.
The CV men’s tennis team was still playing for the gold medal as of press time yesterday.
The men’s team is made up of Bernardine Siso, Israel Abarquez, Fritz Satera, Jayvee Canoy and John Pintor.
The Central Visayas tennis team is manned by students from USC, UV and the University of San Jose Recoletos.
Central Visayas won last year’s national title here in Cebu after bagging a total of 117 gold medals, 44 silvers and 41 bronze medals./CORRESPONDENTS DALE G. ROSAL and MARS G. ALISON