CEBU CITY -- Cagayan de Oro City pulled another gold plus three bronze medals on the third day of action in the ongoing 2018 Philippine National Games (PNG) at Abellana Sports Center here.
Team CdeO has now four golds, one silver and five bronzes in the bag.
Clint Nino Neri starred in Team CdeO’s medal hunt Tuesday and became the lone athlete in the delegation as of press time to produce two gold medals.
Neri, a prize long jumper from Cugman National High School, may have failed to win a gold in triple long jump of the Palarong Pambansa in Vigan City, but he won’t be denied in Cebu PNG Meet, lording it over in the youth men’s category late Wednesday afternoon.
He scaled the bar at 13.94 meters ahead of his closest rival from Davao who finished at 13.50 meters.
Neri’s first gold came from youth men’s long jump on Monday when he set 6.60 meters and a difference of 13 inches against the second placer.
No wonder Neri has become a hot material for all national coaches who have been scouting fresh talents for the Palarong Pambansa.
Neri committed to join the junior Bulldogs, grabbing the offer to take Grade 11 at National University (NU) in Manila.
“I am happy of his results and he finally had a gold in the triple long jump and that in national level competition,” said Neri’s coach Ellenita Agbalog.
Aside from the gold, three others from Team CdeO chipped in a bronze each.
Of the three, the athletics team delivered two from Kent Vincent Unson and Shaolin Spencer. The other one in swimming was handed by Jose Marie Nave.
This was the second bronze for both Unson and Nave in their respective events.
Unson first snatched the bronze in discus throw on Sunday, followed by another one in shotput also in men’s junior.
Nave, on the other hand, took his first bronze in the 400 meters back stroke on Monday then another one in the 100 meters back stroke yesterday.
It was the same scenario for Nave though as he engaged in a tight race with the talented siblings Kevin Troy and Lean Ysidore Dagum from Koronadal City.
The brothers edged Nave by a mere second in their grueling encounters for the 400m and 100m events.
Shaolin Spencer snared another bronze in 400 meters hurdle men’s senior.
As of 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Cagayan de Oro is tied with Zamboanga City in medal tally at sixth and seventh place.
Team CdeO and Zamboanga have three gold, one silver and two bronze medals apiece.
Host Cebu City took the lead with seven gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals, while General Santos City trailed at second with six golds, five silvers and seven bronzes.
Baguio City is third with three gold, five silver and three bronze medals, while Koronadal City is fourth (3-3-0) with Mandaluyong (3-2-2) at fifth.