Brunei -- Davao City tankers collected three more gold medals, one silver and one bronze here Saturday morning, December 8, for Team Mindanao-Philippines, raising their total to six golds, seven silvers and four bronzes so far as of 12 noon in the ongoing BIMPNT-Eaga Friendship Games swimming competition here.
Fritz Jun Rodriguez, who won the 50-meter breastroke Thursday, followed it up with another golden finish in 100-meter breastroke as the swimfest resumed at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex Saturday.
He registered one minute and 9.59 seconds over Darren Ngui Moh Gin of Sarawak, Malaysia (1:09:61) and Dabawenyo Edward Alfaro III (1:11.28) who settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
Rodriguez, 17, of San Beda University, is seeing action in the Games for the first time. Thus, clinching gold medals was more than he could ever hope for.
Eirron Seth Vibar, 16, a Grade 10 student of Apo Learning Village, captured the gold in men's 200m butterfly, smashing his own personal best time of 2:17 with a 2:16.49 record.
“This is overwhelming, I am so thankful for this experience. I really did not expect to win the gold, I thought I would only end up with a silver,” Vibar, also an Eaga Games newbie, said. He also thanked his coach, teammates and his family for their support.
South Sulawesi Province's Andi Eko Saputra (2:21.05) copped the silver while Northern Territory's Flynn White (2:25.9) salvaged the bronze.
In women's 200m backstroke, Abbas Orchard School's seventh grader Lora Micah Amoguis, 12, proved that size and age don't really matter as she bested bigger, taller and older rivals to claim the gold. She timed 2:35.61 while Sabah's Janet Fabian (2:38.45) and South Sulawesi's Wan Agustina (2:39.43) wounded up in the next two places.
“It's unexpected because in my first event, 100 backstroke, I really did bad because I was milliseconds away from the third. I told myself I won't make that same mistake ever again so I prayed to God if it's time to get a medal or just to have fun. But I said, `It's for you Lord, my Mom and my Dad',” she shared after receiving her medal.
Her younger sister 11-year-old Liaa Margarette, for her part, annexed the women's 200m butterfly with 2:31.34, trailing behind Northern Territory's Lauren McSkimming, 18, (2:28.48) who sealed the gold. Davao City swimmer Juliana Villanueva, 14, (2:33.33) ended up with the bronze.
Amoguis said she's used to competing against bigger opponents, adding, “Whether they are bigger or faster, I will just do my best. When you do your best you will feel happy about it.”
She eyes to win at least one gold in three events that she will still be competing in.
Other swimming events resumed as of Saturday.