Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur tracksters outshone rivals on Day 1 of the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2024 athletics competition on Tuesday morning, April 2, at the University of Mindanao (UM) track oval.
Jessica Leah Losentes and Khea Jean Cenia secured the first two spots in the elementary girls javelin throw event.
Losentes, a 12-year-old student of Aragon Elementary School, Cateel, Davao Oriental, registered 33.32 meters, to claim the gold medal, while Cenia recorded 31.58m to take the silver.
Davao del Sur's Daniela Baquiran (26.06m) salvaged the bronze.
“Nagpasalamat ko sa akoang mga coach, ug saakoang trainor kay gi train ug gitudluan ko nila (I thank my coaches, and my trainers because they trained and taught me),” said Losentes who only started learning javelin throwing last year.
Cenia also expressed her gratitude, saying, “Salamat sa akoang mga coach nga gitabangan ko nga sige og practice. Thank you sa ilaha, nadaug ko maong mag-Palaro ko karon (Thanks to my coaches who helped me practice. Because of them, I won and can now compete in the Palaro).”
Both Losentes and Cenia are preparing for a bigger challenge as they represent Davraa in the upcoming Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City in July.
Meanwhile, Reven Jay Lingayao gave Davao Oriental its second gold as he topped the elementary boys' long jump with 5.28m. He outclassed Daryl Tabag (5:03m) of Davao del Norte and Josep Mazo (4.97m) of Davao City.
In other events, Jerald Casido and Charmel Samejon of Davao del Sur each pocketed a gold.
Casido (6.55m) bested Wilson Cañete of Davao de Oro (6.25m) and Dan Rheb Francisco of Davao City (6.22m) for the secondary boys' long jump gold medal. Cañete and Francisco settled for the silver and bronze, respectively.
Samejon (33.54), for her part, dominated the secondary girls' javelin throw event over Sunshine Marcos (31.72m) and Fraigne Angel dela Peña (30.78m) of Davao City. MLSA WITH REPORTS FROM WILBERT DURAN AND KIA BACOMO, DNSC INTERNS