DAVAO Region's swimmer Paolo Miguel Lim Labanon clinched his third gold medal while thrower Jessica Leah Losentes captured her first-ever gold at the Palarong Pambansa 2024 on Saturday, July 13, at the Cebu City Sports Center. The Davao Eagles retained their fifth overall position with 15 gold medals, 15 silvers, and 13 bronzes as of noon on Sunday, July 14.
Labanon of Davao City, competing in his final Palaro appearance this year, ruled the secondary boys' 1,500-meter freestyle event with a time of 17 minutes and 2.32 seconds (17:02.32), surpassing Anton Paulo Dominick Della of Ilocos Region and Aishel Cid Evangelista of National Capital Region (NCR). Della clocked 17:27.52, while Evangelista registered 17:43.47 to secure the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The 17-year-old Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MMCM) senior high school student secured the region's first two golds on Thursday, July 11, dominating the secondary boys' 400m freestyle and 200m butterfly events.
Labanon, who also got two relay silvers, was scheduled to compete in the 200m and 800m freestyle Sunday afternoon, July 14.
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Losentes of Aragon Elementary School in Cateel, Davao Oriental, won the elementary girls javelin throw with a distance of 38.99 meters on her final attempt. She bested Central Luzon's Ronalyn Abringe of Pinagbarilan Elementary School (38.71m) and Calabarzon's Sam Garcia of Eulogio Cerado Elementary School (38.65m).
"Lipay kaayo ko, Ma'm, kay first time nako maka-gold unya karon pa sad ko makadula sa Palarong Pambansa (I'm overjoyed, Ma'am, as I won the gold medal in my first Palarong Pambansa)," Losentes said in a Messenger audio interview with SunStar Davao on Saturday afternoon.
She shared that she felt nervous being behind her rivals from the start. She was relieved to win the gold medal and achieve her personal best. Previously, she had registered 33 meters in the javelin throw during the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2024 in Davao City.
Losentes, the youngest among seven children of Ronnie and Geralden, just began throwing competitively last year.
Davao Region's Meljun Sabidor of Basiawan National High School in Davao Occidental set a new Palarong Pambansa record in secondary boys javelin throw. His golden throw of 59.90m broke the previous records of Ilocos Region's Alleloid Lumabao (800g, 59.19 in 2002) and Western Visayas' James LozaƱes (700g, 59.46m in 2017).
The tandem of Alyhanna Parulan (Mariano Peralta Elementary School) of Davao Occidental and Presrioland Jay Ariate (Malita Central Elementary School) of Davao Occidental added another gold for Davao Region by winning the elementary girls taekwondo mixed pair Poomsae event.
Parulan also copped her second gold in the elementary girls' team poomsae event with fellow Davao Occidental jin Rhoanne Jane Tabanao of Malita Central Elementary School and Mati City's Minerva Kate Uyan of Agape Partners Academy of Mati, Inc.
Earlier, Davao City's dancesports pair Bhenz Rudolf Owen H. Semilla and Francheska Dezzly Darvin from Francisco Bustamante National High School (FBNHS) garnered five gold medals in the secondary division junior standard grade A-5 dance, single dance tango, single dance foxtrot, single dance Viennese waltz, and single dance waltz, along with a silver in junior standard single dance quickstep.
Additionally, Davao del Norte's dancesports team contributed three gold medals, courtesy of Xacks Jacob Bolador and Fiona Rose Golosino from New Corella Central Elementary School Sped Center. They excelled in the elementary juvenile Latin grade A-5 dance, Latin single dance paso doble, and single dance samba, while also earning bronze in juvenile Latin single dance chachacha and juvenile Latin single dance jive. MLSA