ILOILO-HAILED Avegail Beliran from Granada Elementary School set a new record of 41.36m in the elementary javelin throw erasing the eight-year-old record of 40.63m set by Gia Bucag of Central Visayas in 2010.
Beliran’s triumph contributed to Western Visayas’ five gold medals for regular events after three days of competitions in Palarong Pambansa in Vigan.
Her Western Visayas compatriot Ann Katherine Quitoy also broke the secondary girls’ javelin throw record earlier in this competition.
The Grade 10 stalwart from Romanito Maravilla Sr. National High School lodged a new record throw of 45.72m deleting last year’s record of 42.85m set by Sylvian Faith Abunda of Northern Mindanao. Abunda settled for the silver medal this year.
Also in Western Visayas’ early gold medal haul are Negrense jumper Trexie dela Torre for secondary girls’ long jump, and arnis artists Jessie Mae Beso of Capiz for the secondary girls’ Anyo Individual Double Weapon, and Ilonggo Carl Wayne Reyes, Jeremy Joseph Tanedo and Kyle Angelo Tiron for the elementary boys’ Anyo team event.
With their early victories in the competition, Western Visayas contingent is expected to be inspired further and deliver more gold medals for the region as the national student annual competition progresses.