SWIMMERS Samantha Therese Coronel and Jalil Taguinod continued their winning ways in the 2017 Batang Pinoy organized by the Philippine Sports Commission in Vigan City.
Coronel, one of Makati City’s pride, hiked her haul to four gold medals after prevailing in the girls’ 13-15 100m backstroke and 50m butterfly at the Elpidio Quirino swimming pool on Thursday.
The 15-year-old from Colegio de San Agustin also won the 200m and 50m backstroke before checking in with a victorious time of 1:06.58 in the 100m back and 30.27 seconds in the 50m fly.
“There are offers for me to swim for UAAP [University Athletic Association of the Philippines] teams, and that inspires me to go for more gold medals,” said Coronel, whose coach Arnel Aba is a one-legged swimmer who won a gold medal in the Asean Para Games.
Taguinod, who hails from Santiago City, also harvested four gold medals following a convincing triumph in the boys’ 12-under 200m breaststroke.
Standing at 5-foot-8 with an athletic frame, the 11-year-old Taguinod clocked 2:45.35 in the 200m breast in a fitting following to his exploits in the 50m breast, 200m IM and 50m back.
Taguinod, the Most Valuable Player in the elementary division of the 2017 Palarong Pambansa in Antique, looks up to Olympic swimming icon Michael Phelps and multiple Palaro gold winner Sacho Ilustre as his idols.
“He has asthma that’s why we ask her to swim,” said Taguinod’s father, Jeffrey.
Taguinod will race for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Age Group Swimming Championships in Brunei next month.
Over at the Elpidio Quirino track and field oval, 15-year-old Tara Borlain of Pasig City won her second gold in the girls 800m following a triumphant effort in the 3000m.
Borlain, a triathlete who topped the annual Ironkids thrice, clocked 2:15.49 to defeat Dasmariñas City’s Charmaine De Ocampo of Dasmariñas City (2:26.61) and Aaliyah Ingram (2:28.08).
Other winners in athletics were Mark Anthony Torio of San Fernando, La Union in the boys’ 800m and Jennielyn Bacalando of Pangasinan in the girls’ 200m steeplechase.
Pangasinan also ruled both boys and girls basketball with Filipino-German Michael Swirtszinsky unloading 36 points in a 103-85 rout of Olongapo City.
Roselle Vinluan had 15 points and Ayen Joy Bautista added 14 for Pangasinan in an 86-42 thumping of Tayabas in the finals of the girls’ division.
Image credits: Roy Domingo