TAGBILARAN City, Bohol -- Davao Region tankers struck for a total of eight gold medals, eight silvers and nine bronzes at the start of the National Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) Games 2018 at the Victoriano B. Tirol Sports Complex here Tuesday, April 24.
Jomarie Berja, a Palarong Pambansa veteran, made his National Prisaa debut by hauling three golds and one silver in the junior boys division.
The 17-year-old native of Lambajon, Davao Oriental, who will be a Grade 11 student this coming school year at the Maryknoll School of Lambajon, topped the juniors 100-meter breaststroke, 400 individual medley (IM) and 4x50 medley relay events after placing second in 200m freestyle.
The 4x50 medley relay team was also composed of Selwyn Rex Cirunay, Alteddy Sumaoy and Blu Cabilete.
"Tamang tulog, tamang kain at constant training po," Berja said on his preparations.
He, however, aims to win two more golds in 200m breaststroke and 4x50 medley relay.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kierl Suazo of DMMA College of Southeastern Philippines ruled the men's senior 200m freestyle but he settled for silver in 50m freestyle and got a bronze in 4x50 medley relay with Jeff Kasim, Peter John Apas and Joshia Klein Gulayan.
Alyssa Hesed Raut, for her part, clinched the junior girls 200m butterfly gold medal after a silver finish in the 200m freestyle.
Ianika Denisse Baciera (junior girls 100m breaststroke), Cabilete (junior boys 100m backstroke) and the junior girls 200m medley relay team of Hesed, Beciera, Allura Dione Javier and Aisha Priscil Fernandez each bagged a silver while Sumaoy (junior girls 200m freestyle), Necilyn Plaza (junior girls 200m freestyle and 100m backstroke), Myles Andrei Cabilete (junior girls 100m breaststroke), B. Cabilete (junior boys 50m freestyle) and senior women's 400m freestyle relay team of Noralyn Miso, Jennry Bilbao, Archelle Pero and Gilliane Tuazon (girl's seniors 400m freestyle relay) pocketed a bronze each.
However, the Davao Region's athletics team was still without a gold and only one silver and one bronze medal as of Tuesday.
Kharies Recodo, a 21-year-old student of Cor Jesu College of Digos City, annexed the lone athletics silver for the region after finishing second in the women's javelin throw at the Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex.
Recodo will also compete in discus throw on Wednesday, April 25.
Darwin Tahura of the University of Mindanao, for his part, salvaged a bronze in men's 110m hurdles.