By Peter Atencio
CEBU CITY – Seventeen-year-old Asia Paraase of Cebu City and Jayne Kirt Cantor of Nueva Ecija shared the limelight on Day 1 of the Palarong Pambansa on Thursday.
Paraase did what her mom could not do when she topped the secondary girls’ 3,000-meters event to grab the first gold medal on Day 1 of the games on Thursday at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
Region 3’s 12-year old Cantor set a new meet record in the boys’ elementary long jump event, when he registered 6.14 meters.
Cantor smashed the 6.04 meters established by Jeremie Tamles of Region 11 (Davao Region) in the 2002 edition of the Palaro in Naga City, Camarines Sur.
“Hindi ko po talaga ito inaasahan (I did not expect this),” said Cantor, who set the new record in his second attempt.
Paraase’s mother Sara Jane, who missed the 1999 Palarong Pambansa in Tubod, Lanao de Norte for security reasons, was around to watch, cheer and inspire her daughter, who bolted away from her pursuers halfway into the race en route to the win.
“Itinodo ko na po. Last ko na po kasi ito,” said the Lapu-Lapu City-based Paraase, who clocked a her best time of 10 minutes, 27.36 seconds, at the end of her event.
Meanwhile, Sara Jane said she and the Central Visayas delegation were kept from joining the Palaro in Tubod after rebels following bombings in Mindanao during her time as a student athlete. She made up for it by winning gold medals when she was in college.
Last year, Sara Jane, who now works as food concessionaire at Cebu Pacific, put Asia in the care of her former high school coach, Alex Coloy. Her daughter’s improved performance allowed her to take home a silver in the Marikina Palaro with a slower time of 10:50.3.
Chrishia Ma Tajarros of Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) took the silver medal with a time of 10:39.72, while Mary Jane Pagayon of Region 11 (Davao) submitted 10.52.72 to settle for the bronze medal.
Finishing behind Cantor is Khrispher Kyle Ngirngir of Region 6 (Western Visayas), who posted 5.63m. Ace Francis Bacongallo of Region 7 got the bronze medal in 5.59m.
In the boys’ secondary long jump, Sam Kenjie Bantillo of Region 6 (Western Visayas) won the gold medal in 7.09m, while John Patrick Patricio (7.04m) and Markson Astrero (6.85m) of Region 3 bagged the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
In the discus throw, Courtney Trangia of Region 5 (Bicol Region) ruled the girls’ secondary category in 39.47m. Christine Diaz of Region 6 finished second in 36.41m followed by Heart Duarte with 35.61m.
Ariana Dawn Rabi of Region 1 (Ilocos) registered 31.21m to claim the gold medal in the girls’ elementary category.
Precious Rhoevie Andres of Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) pocketed the silver medal in 31.14m, while Sam Garcia of Region 4-A (Calabarzon) got the bronze medal in 28.76m.
