CEBU City—A biology student from University of San Carlos snared to two gold medals in swimming yesterday morning and led host Cebu City’s bid to claim the overall crown in the 9th Philippine National Games Tuesday at the Cebu City Sports Complex here.
Razel Cabajar, a senior at the University of San Carlos, took the gold in the 50-meter butterfly and anchored the 4×100 meter medley relay squad to a first-place finish.
She shared the limelight with Nicole Meah Pamintuan of Sta. Rosa City, after the 18-year-old student from De La Salle Zobel clinched the gold medal in the girls’ 100-meter backstroke.
Pamintuan now has four gold medals after she registered one minute and 9.81 seconds to outpace Andrea Punay of Gen. Santos City and Miles Valdez of Iligan City, who tallied 1:21.70 and 1:23.68 to settle for the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
On the other hand, Cabajar bucked a left-shoulder injury that has been bothering her for weeks. Her performance helped lift Cebu City to the top of the medal standings.
Cebu City took the no. 1 spot with 15 golds, 16 silvers and 16 bronze medals, while Baguio City overtook General Santos City for secons spot with its 8-11-9 gold-silver-bronze tally.
“Hindi po ako gaanong kundisyon. May shoulder injury po ako since last month,” said Cabajar, who also had a silver in the 100-meter butterfly and a bronze in the 100-meter freestyle.
Cabajar clocked 32.48 seconds in the 50-meter butterfly, while Cebu City beat General Santos City in the 4×100 meter medley relay in 5:14.08.
In athletics, national team members Harry Diones, Rhea Joy Sumalpong and Rosie Villarito came up with impressive showings as they got ready to join the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association National Open next month.
Diones cleared 15.94 meters to clinch the gold medal in the senior men’s triple jump, while Sumalpong tallied 40.65 meters to emerge victorious in the senior women’s discus throw event.
Villarito, a grizzled SEA Games campaigner, emerged with 45.98 meters to clinch the gold over Narcisa Atienza in the senior women’s javelin throw.
Francis Velasquez led General Santos City’s cause in athletics where he dominated the 5000-meter walk in 32 minutes, 59.2 seconds, with La Union’s Oliver Abiang taking second.
Zamboanga City, getting a lift from Olympian Hidilyn Diaz in the 58-kg class of the women’s weightlifting event, is now in fourth with its 8-1-4 haul.
Dessa de los Santos, Rowell Garcia and Nestor Colonia came up with medal finishes in the junior girls, and the men’s open division, also in weightlifting, respectively.
Fil-Japanese fighters Shugen and Kensei donned the colors of Pasay City to take the golds in judo.
The 22-year-old Shugen crushed Al-Rolan Llamas by way of ippon to claim the gold medal in the men’s -66kg class
The tourney serves as qualifying tourney for aspiring members of the national team.
Later on, Shugen’s his twin brother, Kensei, emerged victorious as he downed Czar Augustus Bayas of Taguig City via ippon in the finals of the men’s 73-kg class at the University of San Carlos north campus.