Three young lifters from Cebu came up with the heaviest lifts in weightlifting, while swimmers Jasmine Mojdeh and Arvin Taguinota claimed their fourth gold medals on Day 3 of the Philippine National Games-Batang Pinoy meet.
Sixteen-year-old Alberto Bacaro gave Cebu City its fifth gold medal when he hoisted a record total 194 kilograms on Wednesday morning in the 16-17 year old 55-kg category at the Dacudao indoor court of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Bacaro, who went down in weight for the competition, was below his personal best of 200 kgs, but this was the most he can do, according to his coach and former Olympian Ramon Solis.
“Nagbawas siya kasi ng timbang. Pero ito na rin ang pinakamabigat na nabuhat niya against sa mga competitors dito,” said Solis of the student from University of Cebu.
Seventeen-year-old Cyrinne Inan of Angono, Rizal also made his coach Pep Agosto proud, as she fought off fatigue and pushed herself to the limit with a hoist of 129 kgs in the 16-17, women’s 45-kg action.
“Nahihilo po ako. Nagba-black na po ako sa bigat, pero kinaya ko po,” said Inan, whose sister Lovelyn Inan bagged a silver in the recent Southeast Asian Games.
Inan’s effort of 73 kgs in the clean and jerk was higher than her usual of 70 kgs and this contributed to her record showing on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Jeamae Paligtiw of Mandaue City raised a best lift of 127 in the 40+ kg category, beating her closest rival Caroline Torrecampo of Manila by 12 kgs when the latter took the silver with a 105-kg performance.
“I just increased the power of my lift, and had a positioning in posture. That’s why I got it,”said Paligtiw, who equalled Rhianne Cabalida’s efforts last year.
Meanwhile, the 17-year-old Mojdeh, who just returned from training in the United States, delivered her fourth gold medal for Paranaque City by dominating the 16-17 year old girls’ 400-meter individual medal in the early morning swimming events at the Teofilo Yldefonso pool of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Mojdeh, who will enter college next year on a student-athlete scholarship with University of Southern California, was almost 14 seconds ahead of the opposition, with Pasig’s Ma. Francesca Barretto, settling for the silver in 5:26.03, and Lia Amoguis of Davao City earning the bronze.
Mojdeh’s third gold came when she, alongside teammates Julia Basa, Heather White and Kassandra Macaraig, clocked 2:07.6 for Paranaque in topping the 400-meter medley relays, ahead of Pasig and General Trias City.
Taguinota also handed Pasig his fourth gold medal, when he and teammates Charles Canlas, Marcelino Picardal and Jefferson Sabularse timed 2:09.9, to beat Pangasinan and Cavite for the gold in the 12-under boys’ medley relays.
Bacolod City’s Anika Matiling got the gold in the 9-12, girls’ 400-meter IM with her time of 5:57.89, with Paulette Apilado of Davao City taking the silver in 6:01.2.
Patricia Santor of Antipolo City snared the gold in the 13-15, 400-meter IM, after submitting a clocking of 5:26.83.