BAGUIO CITY—Five swimmers took to the pool unmindful of the chilling water and scooped a third gold medal each, while budding cyclists gave a sample of what they could become in the future in Day Two of the Philippine Sports Commission’s Batang Pinoy National Championships on Tuesday.
A day after bagging the 100-meter butterfly gold, Micaela Jasmin Mojdeh immediately hiked her medal count to four after ruling the 400-meter individual (IM) medley and 50-meter butterfly at the Baguio City Swimming Pool.
The 13-year-old pride of Parañaque City clocked five minutes and 37.7 seconds to beat Lady Samantha Corpuz of La Union (5:45.33) and Thea Diane Canda of General Santos City (5:54.08) in the medley.
With her adrenaline all fired up, Mojdeh annexed the butterfly gold with a time of 30.57 seconds, beating Puerto Prinsesa City’s Maglia Jaye Dignadice City (31.95) and Quendy Fernandez (32.26).
But fatigue finally took its toll on Mojdeh and allowed Roz Encarnacion of Laguna province to win the 200-meter breaststroke by a wide margin.
Encarnacion clocked 2:55.02 to beat Mojdeh, who was timed 2:59.68. The 12-year-old was also victorious in the 12-under 200-meter IM and 50-meter breaststroke to earn three gold medals.
“It’s so cold here. I also had cramps,” Mojdeh explained why she lost her steam in her fourth event.
Also collecting three gold medals were Quezon City’s Althea Baluyot (50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly), Laguna’s Roshanne Biglete (200-meter backstroke, 50-meter freestyle and 12-under 100-meter freestyle) and Lucena City’s Mervien Jules Mirandilla (boys 50-meter butterfly, 100-meter freestyle and 13-15 100-meter butterfly.)
Marc Van Louie Baluyot, who is based in Rome, pedaled to his own nitch in cycling’s circuit race.
The 15-year-old who was born in San Jose, Tarlac, topped the five-lap race over a 2.2-km circuit and in the process sent Joseph Quirino of Malaybalay and Justin Valerio of Pangasinan to second and third place, respectively.
Baluyot is the son of former national team member Villamor Baluyot, who raced in the Tour de Langkawi and Asian Cycling Championships in early-2000.
According to his father, the second-generation cyclist wants to engage and gauge his skill against Filipino riders, as he is already primed up against European counterparts.
“He wants to play here. So we really brought him and paid for all the expenses,” the elder Baluyot said.
Baguio City and Pangasinan athletes, meanwhile, showed savvy by bagging three gold medals each in taekwondo.
Lei Ramon (featherweight) and Rain Ramon (lightweight) topped their respective categories in cadet female kyorugi, while Gabriel Ivan Inacay, Zeik Jhay Ceniza and Zeick Andrei Tacay pocketed the third gold in cadet team poomsae.
Also impressive were Pangasinense Ericka Claudette Edrosolan (middleweight) in cadet female kyorugi and James Oranza, who topped the junior individual male poomsae and the junior pair poomsae with Kristine Roxas.
Laurize Jeanne Wangkay of Laguna clocked 11:29 to rule the secondary girls 2000m walk. South Cotabato’s Nekie Hope Cabancal(12:01:69)linched the silver and Baguio City’s Yessamin Carbonila (12:20:19) took bronze.
Bohol’s Dian Rysiamie Hurano leaped to 5.45 meters to capture the gold medal in girls long jump. Rea Cristine Rafanan (5:04m) of Pangasinan and Niña Fe Aquilisea (4.91m) of Aklan completed the podium.