VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR - Aliyah Rae Lumangtad of Tagum City saved the day for the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) as she steered the elementary girls chess team to clinch two gold medals in the Palarong Pambansa 2018 blitz competition in Baluarte, Ilocos Sur on Monday, April 16.
Had it not been for the 12-year-old Lumangtad, a Grade 6 student of Magugpo Pilot Imelda Elementary School, Davraa was ending the first day of competition with a gold shutout.
She tallied 6.5 points to pocket the elementary girls chess blitz gold in the seven-round event to beat Northern Mindanao’s Ruelle Canino (5.5) and Western Visayas’ Precious Day Yecla (5.0) who settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
In elementary girls blitz team, she and Lieane Faith Salajudin earned a total of 10.5 points to prevail over National Capital Region’s Merjeri Janapin and Lovely Ann Geraldino (9.0) and Western Visayas’ Precious Day Yecla and Kimberly Colaste (9.0).
“Na-pressure po ako konti knowing na wala pang gold ang Davraa,” the only child of Arthur, a barber, and Cherylle, a housewife, said in an interview with SunStar Davao after her final round match.
She was told that she could give Davraa its first gold in the Palaro even with a draw in the final round.
Lumangtad was surprised by her twin feats as she failed to qualify in the Palaro the past two years.
She added that competing regularly in the Chesskwelahan program of Davao del Norte has helped her Palaro preparations. She usually spends two to five hours a day during training.
Davraa’s silvers were courtesy of Irish Yngayo of Davao Central College (secondary girls blitz chess individual) and the pair of Yngayo and Blanche Ellyz Bongato (secondary girls blitz chess team), both from Davao City.
Meanwhile, Bicol’s Region's Leslie Delima grabbed the first gold at the start of the Palarong Pambansa 2018 athletics competition at the President Elpidio Quirino Stadium here.
Delima, 13, of Baoa National High School in San Juan, Camarines Sur clocked 10 minutes and 6.54 seconds in secondary girls 3,000-meter run while Camila Tubiano (10.07.07) of Northern Mindanao and Grace Tejones (10:52.99) of Western Visayas clinched the silver and bronze, respectively.
The Elma Muros fan is seeing action in her third Palaro but she only salvaged four silvers in the past. She will also compete in 1,500m, 800m and 4X400m.
Davraa bet Andrea de Guia of Davao City, in an interview, said the competition was too strong.
"Nakasabay man ko sa ilang pacing (I was able to pace with the leaders)," De Guia said but the frontrunners broke away in the final lap that caught her off by surprise.
She said she will try to improve in today's 1,500m. Her coach Valerio Bulpa said De Guia succumbed to jitters. "Tutok lang, kailangan lang mawala ang kaba.
Kumpyansa sa sarili (You need to just focus and don't be nervous, you need to be confident)," Bulpa advised De Guia.
Meanwhile, Davao City standout Mark Anthony Caseñas landed seventh in the secondary boys long jump finals that was topped by 17-year-old Algin Gomez of Cagayan Valley. The latter recorded 6.96m to claim the gold over Melm James Oliver of Mimaropa Region (6.88m) and Lowell Jay Batobalani (6.75m).
Caseñas registered 6.48m but it even failed to surpass his Davraa record of 6.62 meters.
"Wala man ko makulbaan. Kusog ra jud ang uban (I was not nervous. The other jumpers are just stronger)," the Calinan National High School student said.