Baguio bets continue romp in Batang Pinoy NL leg

BAGUIO City romped off with nine gold medals in the penultimate day of the Northern Luzon leg of the Batang Pinoy Games in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

With the Summer Capital earning 60 gold medals, including 36 silver and 28 bronze, Baguio continues to stall host Pangasinan with 44 gold medals, 64 silver and 61 bronze for the race to the overall championship.

From the 51 gold medals as of October 11, the Baguio athletes scored two gold medals in lawn tennis and another pair of gold medals in the karatedo competition before closing out the swimming event with five more gold medals in the third day of competition.

“I just told them to put pressure on Pangasinan, especially that the finals of the arnis tournament are ongoing,” said Baguio City sports coordinator Gaudencio Gonzalez.

Malolos City is also in far third with 9-4-4 medal haul as Olongapo City and La Union are fourth and fifth, respectively, with 7-3-1 and 6-2-3 medal haul.

“Sana makuha natin yung bulk ng gold medal sa arnis kasi konti na lang yung hinanahabol ng Pangasinan sa standings,” added Gonzalez.

Gonzalez said bulk of the gold medal haul came from athletics with 28 but Pangansinan had 38 in athletics while the Summer Capital jins snatched 13 gold medals in tae kwon do compared to the home team’s two gold medal haul.

Of the 28 medals, Leah Taltala accounted for four golds with victories in the 100m hurdles, triple jump, high jump and 4x400m relay.

The Batang Pinoy is a national competition for in-school and out–of-school children ages 15 years old and below.

It serves as the national sports competition program for children and envisioned to address the need for a grassroots sports program centered on values formation inherent in the practice of sports and fair play.

Batang Pinoy is conceptualized in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Leagues of Provinces, Cities, Municipalities and Barangays.