CEBUANA sprinter Samantha Gem Limos captured six gold medals, all in record-breaking fashion, in the Asia Pacific Activities Conference Track and Field Championships in Shanghai, China held last April 18 to 22.
The incoming Grade 10 athletic scholar at Brent International School Manila ruled the girls’ 100-meter dash, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m and the 800m sprint medley.
Limos became the fastest female runner after clocking 12.36 seconds in the 100m dash finals, beating Ashley Tang of Shanghai American School Puxi and Lara Sofia Mcbean of Brent Academy, who timed 12.78 and 13.34, respectively.
The former University of Cebu (UC) stalwart got the same result in the 200m run, beating Tang (26.82) and Mc Bean (27.72) in the final heat to take the gold medal.
The third individual gold medal for Limos was in the 400m run, where she crossed the finish line in 1:01.05. She was followed by Tang (1:01.46) and Audrey Chiu (1:04.21) of International School of Beijing.
“It’s my first time in this competition and I never thought I would win six gold medals and break APAC records,” said the 16-year-old Limos, a double gold medalist in the 2016 Palarong Pambansa.
Adding to her medal haul was the 4x100m relay with teammates Katrina Isabella Andaya, Rachael Veronique Vazquez and Mcbean. The 4x100m team clocked 52.16 to beat Shanghai American School (53.40).
Limos partnered with Vazquez, Maria Dominique Jalandoni and Mackenzie Krischelle Atkins to win the 4x400m relay in 4:16.32, beating International School of Beijing A. (4:22.11).
Limos and teammates Andaya, Vazquez and Meiko Yamada clocked 1:55.62 in the 800m sprint medley to beat Shanghai American School (1:57.41) and International School of Beijing (2:01.10).
Limos said that during the awarding ceremony the records that were set has been announced, and all of her six events were all records. The records, however, are not posted on the event’s website. (RSC)