Davraa meet: Davao, ComVal rule the pool

MATI, Davao Oriental--The Davao City secondary swimmers arrived here the heavy favorites to rule the pool in the Davao Region Athletics Association (Davraa) Meet.

The ComVal Golds stunned the defending champion Davao City with a sensational performance right on opening day when they bagged three gold medals Friday at the Mati Centennial Sports Complex.

ComVal, powered by James Cabatingan, added two silvers and a bronze medal to edge Davao City, which managed only two golds, three silvers and one bronze. The Island Garden City of Samal seized two bronze medals to stay behind in the secondary boys event.

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Davao City, meanwhile, led the elementary boys with four golds, one silver and four bronze medals, followed by Davao Oriental which had a gold and a silver to show thus far. Igacos won two silvers and a bronze while ComVal had one silver and a bronze medal.

In the secondary girls, Davao City is on top of the field behind three golds, four silvers and a bronze while Panabo City is at second with two golds.

The 16-year-old Cabatingan, a mainstay of Letran de Davao of Maco, clocked one minute and 00.65 seconds to capture the secondary boys 100-meter flyweight gold. Davao City's Brian Panganiban (1:13.38) got the silver while ComVal's Dennis Guminang (1:16.48) settled for the bronze.

"I am so happy to win the gold at last. I just got a silver last year. I really worked hard in practice. My sacrifice had paid off," Cabatingan, who engaged into competitive swimming since fifth grade, said in the vernacular.

Cabatingan, son of Jerlie and Roger later, likewise helped ComVal snatch the gold in the secondary boys 4x50 medley relay event where Mohammad Sahiron was also in the cast. The latter also grabbed the secondary boys 200m backstroke gold.

Panganiban bounced back by winning the secondary boys 400m freestyle gold at the expense of ComVal's Rene Silva and Alvin Addang. Panganiban submitted the best time of 5:34.82 while Silva finsihed in 6:00.75 and Addang in 6:09.30.

Davao City, however, swept the golds in secondary boys 4x100 freestyle relay, elementary girls 4x50 medley relay and secondary girls 4x50 medley relay golds while Davao Oriental clinched the elementary boys 4x50 medley relay gold.

Swimming sensation Le'an Cantil of Maryknoll High School of Panabo City anchored the Pioneers to the secondary girls 4x100 freestyle relay gold. The team, which registered a total time of 5:25.30, was also composed of the Ayuban twins, Kai and Mae, and Kathryn Hintay. They bested Davao City's Camille Evangelista, Patricia Borromeo, Danica Esmale and Justin Mae Dagdag who combined for 5:41.62.

"I'll just be swimming in five events this year. I had to give up my two other events since the schedule is so tight. It would be stressful for me to swim on straight events," Cantil said.

Davao City's Samantha Janne Cambronero sparkled with two golds in elementary girls swimming. She checked in at 42.37 seconds over Davao City bet Kyle Colleen Regidor's 43.69 and ComVal entry Jenniza Amponan's 50.84 in 50m breastrokre.

Cambronero also pocketed the 100m backstroke gold with a time of 1:34.18 while teammate Maria Aimee Luisa Nazareno (1:43.17) and ComVal's Angelica Ade (2:06.81) annexed the silver and bronze, respectively.

Davao City's Dara Clara Evangelista, a graduating student at Davao Wisdom Academy, started her campaign with a golden finish in the elementary girls 50m freestyle. She is expected to dominate her four other individual events, and is entered in one relay event.

The other Day One gold medalists were Davao City's Miguel Benedict Samong (elementary boys 50m freestyle), Althea Marie Benignos (secondary girls 400m freestyle), Rexter Barani (elementary boys 50m breastroke), Lorelie Lora (2:48.60), Jan Wilfred Uy (elementary boys 100m backstroke), Miguel Victor Alvarez (elementary boys 100m butterfly) and Korinne Bianca Trinidad (elementary girls 100m butterfly) while Shenna Mae Ayuban won the gold in secondary girls 100m butterfly.