BAGUIO City archers saved the best for last with their eight gold medal haul to tow the city to the over title of the Batang Pinoy National Finals in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan which came to a close Saturday afternoon at the Ramon Mitra Sports Complex.
The Summer Capital harvested a total of 61 gold, 45 silver and 66 bronze medals to crown itself champion for the second straight year.
Renian Nawew and Danielle Jasmine Espiritu hit two gold medals each to lead the charge for the city’s marksmen with their eight gold medal output including eight silver and nine bronze medals.
Nawew topped the 50 meters and the Olympic round in cadet boys while Espiritu claimed the gold in the 40m and the Olympic round in cadet girls.
Adrienne Parayno also lorded the 30m cadet girls category while Jemuelle James Espiritu snatched the 30m double distance in the bowman boys category.
The trio of Resha Ronquillo, Keturah Gonzales, and Adriele Parayno in the cadet girls team event while the cub girls squad composed of Damariz Calera, Aenas Kishar Victorio, and Mitz Tabayag was also good for gold.
The team is coached by John Hongitan of Baguio City National High School and Andy Villamor of Pines City National High School.
The Baguio bets, who also topped last year’s Finals in Baguio, sourced most their golds in the martial arts events including 14 in wushu and 10 each in Muay Thai and judo, eight in taekwondo and three in pencak silat.
Cebu City, which was headed by Aldrener Igot, Jr.’s eight-gold sweep of archery, finished second with a 34-34-29 (gold-silver-bronze) haul followed by Davao City (31-24-37), Laguna (27-24-18) and Quezon City (25-25-23), which ended up third to fifth places.
Baguio thus went home with P3 million worth of sports equipment from the PSC while No. 2 to No. 5 teams will be given P2.5m, P2m, P1.5m and P1m in the form equipment. (Roderick Osis)