BAGUIO City finally scored their first gold medal courtesy of taekwondo.
The host city pocketed two gold medals in kyurugi and another in poomsae to kick off their title retention bid in the ongoing 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships being held in the Summer Capital.
Siblings Lei and Rain Ramon bagged a gold medal each in the featherweight and lightweight category respectively while the trio of Gabriel Ivan Inacay, Zeik Jhay Ceniza and Zeick Andrei Tacay bagged the title in the cadet team category of the poomsae event.
Lei outclassed Chrystler Kate Cleofe of Naga City while her sister Rain edged Christine Leire Malapit of Aklan.
Pangasinan bets Ericka Claudette Edrosolan brought home the gold in the cadet middle class, as well as James Oranza in the junior individual male poomsae and the junior pair of Oranza and Kristine Roxas.
In swimming, Roz Encarnacion of Laguna Province is bannering the race for multiple gold winners at the Baguio Athletic Bowl swimming pool.
Fresh from winning the girls 12-under 200m individual medley and the 50m breaststroke on Monday, the 13-year-old student from Alaminos Integrated National High School swam 2 minutes and 55.02 seconds in the 200m breast for her third gold medal.
She guns for a sweep of all her five events when she competes in the 200m free and 100m breast today.
Also winning three gold medals were Quezon City’s Althea Baluyot, Laguna’s Roshanne Biglete and Lucena City’s Mervien Jules Mirandilla.
Baluyot won in the girls 13-15 50m freestyle (28.70sec) after reigning supreme on Monday in the 100m free and 100m fly; Biglete topped the girls 12-under 200m backstroke (2:34.33) and the 50m free (29.85sec) after winning the 100m free on Day 1; and Mirandilla pocketed his third gold in the boys 13-15 50m butterfly in 27.27sec.
In archery, Carleen Sophia Flores won in the yeoman girls (644) while Francine Navor prevailed in the bowman girls (663) to give La Union two golds at the Benguet State University in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Also winning were Koronadal bets Christian Gabiosa and Jeremiah Basadre in the 72-round yeoman boys (686) and the 72-round bowman boys (668), respectively.
In athletics, Marinel Abuan of Botolan, Zambales posted 1.55m for the girls high jump gold, Dian Rysiamie Hurano of Bohol ruled the girls long jump (5.45m), and Laurize Wangkay of Laguna Province prevailed in the 2000m walk (11:29).
Weightlifting competitions at the YMCA gym saw Zamboanga lifters dominating the boys and girls 12-under events.
Mango Prince David Tarro lifted a total of 86kilos to win the boys 34kg class, Albert Ian Delos Santos posted a 107 total to win the boys 38kgs, Christian Rodriguez prevailed in the over 38kgs (115 total) and Jeaneth Hipolito ruled the girls 36kg with an 82-kilo lift.
As of this writing, Baguio City sports coordinator Gaudencio Gonzales said Baguio City has already six gold medals to go with their 10 silver and 11 bronze medals. (Roderick Osis)