Wednesday, March 21, 2007 COAA tops elementary swimming in Palarong Pampook ‘07 By Lynde Salgados
TUBOD, Tubod Norte -- The Cagayan de Oro Athletic Association virtually won the swimming competition in elementary level with Christine Baltazar leading the charge to hike COAA team's gold haul to 17 in the penultimate day action of the 2007 Palarong Pampook here at the Mindanao Civic Center.
A pupil of Xavier University Grade School, Baltazar won two more gold on the pool after warming up on Day 1 by topping the 100m backstroke.
"Her triple-gold finish eventually made Baltazar as the most dominating swimmer in this meet," said coach Rics Balanay.
Also bolstered by the golden expedition of Loraine Go, Madelene Medalla, Lea Martinez, Vince Robby Vera and Wayne Mathew Marte, the COAA toddlers matched their first day catch with another set of eight-gold tally as the NMRAA swim meet ended Tuesday.
"Wala pa ang official results gi-release but obviously its COAA ang nagdaug overall sa elementary swimming. Iligan lorded it over in secondary level but at least wala ta naserohan sa secondary kay finally naka-gold sila sa relay,” fellow swimming coach Edson Blanco told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Corpus Christi stalwart and palaro veteran Sarah Sayusay could have made the difference for COAA in secondary rivalry but she appeared too much tired to fight it out.
"Walay preparasyon nga insakto si Sarah kay graduating. Nag 13 na sab iyang manghod (Micah) mao nga wala nakalangoy sa elementary," said the Sayusay sisters' mother-coach Alice.
Another Oro swim mentor, Arlito Rivera, however, agreed that COAA's performance this year in water sport was a quantum leap from the past.
"Dako kaayo ang improvement sa mga bata and it's a positive sign nga sa elementary `ta nangharos. Next year, aduna na usay pipila ka mga bata nga gipahinog pa karon ang ipabuto," was his intriguing remarks.
