FOR some athletes, victories at the BIMP-EAGA Games marked record-setting achievements, while for others, they were deeply emotional milestones.
Seventeen-year-old Milchay Moreno may not be the most prolific at the BIMP-EAGA Games, but her gold in the women’s 400m race at the Ramon Mitra Jr. Track and Field Stadium was an inspiring moment.
Moreno was already in tears as she approached the finish line with the best time of 1:01.41, edging out Malaysia B’s Shakira Natashya (1:02.44) and teammate Crislyn Grace Wenceslao (1:02.77).
“Masayang-masaya po ako sa panalong ito. First time po ako maka-gold sa international event. Iniaalay ko po ito sa aking pamilya at mga supporting friends and teachers,” said the emotional Moreno, a student at Calinan National High School in Davao City.
Armed by dreams of competing in Manila’s collegiate leagues and joining the national team, Moreno will next vie in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay events to build on her promising debut.
Meanwhile, in the swimming arena, 19-year-old Quendy Fernandez of PH Team E thrilled her hometown supporters by earning her fourth gold medal, becoming the most bemedalled athlete of the meet.
Fernandez dominated the girls’ 100m backstroke with a time of 1:07.21, outpacing PH Team A’s Lora Micah Amoguis (1:10.53) and Team B’s Jann Maureen Doton (1:18.42).
“It’s a fun experience kasi dito po ako nagko-compete kung saan ako lumaki. Dito rin po ako natuto lumangoy mula kinder pa lang,” said Fernandez, a second-year student at UP Diliman and the UAAP Season 86 Athlete of the Year. “Sobrang malaking boost po sa akin na makita ko yung mga familiar faces. It just really brings so much joy and energy.”
Fernandez’s earlier successes include gold medals in the 4x50m medley and freestyle relays, the 50m backstroke, and a silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Philip Sahagun of PH Team A continued the Philippines’ swimming dominance, winning his third gold in the boys’ 100m backstroke with a time of 1:00.82. Sahagun is eyeing further triumphs in the 200m backstroke and 4x100m medley events.
In archery, Utada Lorica and Craig Gimongala secured silver in the mixed compound division, falling to Indonesia’s Regina Tania and Rasya Muhammad (153-139).
In the recurve category, the Philippines B and E teams won silver and bronze, while Malaysia B captured the gold.
