Protest highlights fifth day of Palaro

MANILA, Philippines – Protest marred the rain-soaked Palarong Pambansa in Tacloban City after Southern Tagalog-MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) lodged a complaint against Southern Tagalog-CALABARZON (Region IV-A) when one of the formers runner allegedly elbowed another competitor in the secondary boys’ 800m run finals. Palaro athletics tournament officials has yet to release the final result of the controversial event after new Palaro record holder Marvin Guarte claimed that Salvador Guarin Jr. and teammate Don-Don Aguado shoved him, costing the native of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro of the gold medal. Guarte got the attention of former national coach Jojo Posadas after topping the event time trial last Wednesday in record-breaking fashion. He clocked in one minute and 55.60 seconds during the trials to shatter the 12-year-old Palaro record of 1:57.00 set by Rene Boy Tanuan. Based on the unofficial result, Guarin, a silver medalist in the same event last year, crossed the finish line first in 1:55.69 followed by Guarte (1:56.31). John Allen Aguado of Region 12 took the bronze (1:59.01). In other results, Jether Molina of Cotabato ruled the elementary boys’ 800m run to give Region 12 its fifth athletics gold medal. Cotabato’s first four gold winners are Albert Mantua (secondary boys’ shot put), Arnulfo Sab (elementary boys’ 400m hurdles), Jarvin Debardo (secondary boys’ 400m hurdles) and Reynalyn Pabelo (secondary girls’ long jump). Daniel Nova of Central Visayas crowned himself as the fastest athlete of the weeklong meet after winning the secondary boys’ 100m dash in 11.04 seconds while Janet Bedico of Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao topped the girls’ division in 12.22 seconds. Jamil Nor of ARMM joined the roster of double gold medal winners as he collected his second gold in elementary boys’ 100m dash in 12.22 seconds while Eloisa Luzon of Northern Mindanao captured the gold in the girls’ division in 13.21 seconds. National Capital Region dominated the second day of swimming competition, netting six more gold medals from the 12 at stake to add to its seven won Wednesday. The gold medal winners for the Big City tankers are Alberto Batungbakal (elementary boys’ 50m backstroke, 36.68); Johamar Gonzales (secondary boys’ 200m breaststroke, 2:33.50); Rafael Sta. Maria (elementary boys’ 100m freestyle, 59.39). Sta. Maria later later teamed up with Jan Jeris Santos, Christiaw Kaw and Dunn Clarke Vinluan to win the elementary boys’ 400m medley relay in 4:42.98 minutes. It was Sta. Maria’s third swimming gold. Johansen Aguilar, who topped the 100m backstroke and the 200m individual medley relay the other day, seized his third gold as he teamed up with Gabriel Castelo, Sean Tan and Gian Berino in a record swim of 4:10.66, eclipsing the 4:11.31 mark established also by NCR in 2005. NCR’s girls’ team composed of Ana Nicole Tan, Ma. Areza Lipat, Gia Balabag and Ariana Herranz won the elementary 400m medley relay in 5:05.08; and Dorothy Hong, Hannah Dato, Allia Cortado and Ingrid Ilustre ruled the secondary division, 4:41.86. Southern Tagalog-CALABARZON, which collected seven gold medals last Wednesday, only won two this time around courtesy of Gia Nicole Balabag and their relay team. Other swimming gold medal winners are Fudro Tiera of Region 12, Rosemarie Occeno of Region 6, Wilfredo Sunglao Jr. of Region 5 and Loren Dale Echavez of Region 7. Meanwhile, heavy rain brought by a low pressure area (LPA) that hit the Visayas region forced organizers to postpone most of the outdoor events including beach volleyball, lawn tennis, softball and baseball. – GMANews.TV