Monday, April 28, 2008 Central Visayas rules Palaro Special Division
WHILE the Central Visayas athletes struggled to keep afloat in the 2008 Palarong Pambansa, the special athletes were sashaying their way to claim the overall title in the Special Education Division to win the overall plum.
The special athletes—the mentally challenged and those with vision impairment—were the pride of the Region 7 delegation that despite their disabilities, they still managed to showcase their athletic skills, and competed as poignantly as the regular athletes to win medals and lift the region to the overall title in this division.
The team took home 17 gold , 13 silvers and 10 bronze medals in the track and field competition during the first three days of hostilities in the Palaro in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Rolando Dodo prove being blind is not a reason for not achieving a gold medal in a national competition as he won one gold and two bronze medals.
Dodo won his gold medal from the shot put competition and the bronze from the goal ball. He may need someone to be his eyes in the running event in order stay on track, but he managed to win the bronze in the 100 meter run.
His teammates, Moriel Mantus and Katrina Serencio, won the bronze medals in the boys and girls shot put in the visually impaired category.
Young athlete Kent Digor, meanwhile, led the 15-year-old division of the mentally challenged competition, when he won two gold and one silver medals in the track event, Digor was the fastest athlete in the 100-meter and 200-meter runs and joined the 4x100 meter relay that won second place. He was joined by James Arcilla, Filbert Cañete and Ivan Odever in the relay.
The other medalists include Gia Gestopa (100m silver) and Merasol Cutamora (100 m bronze), who won in the individual events and a silver in the 4x100 m relay with Christine Faith de Letran and Richielyn Econg.
Leading the charge in the 16 years old division was Marlon Leyson, who took home three gold medals. Leyson won the 100 and 200m dash and in the 4x100 m relay with Judel Teves, Jason Villasencio and Henry Sumalinog.
Teves also won the gold medal in the 400-meter run. (MCB)
