Sixteen-year-old Jasmine Mojdeh kept her head down after she and Arvin Taguinota added more gold medals to their list of achievements going into the fifth and last day of the 2023 PSC-Philippine National Games/Batang Pinoy meet at the Teofilo Yldefonso Memorial Pool of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Mojdeh, who is on her final season as an age-group swimmer, remembered what her instructors told her when she went into training the United States recently as she claimed her sixth mint, helping Paranaque secure the 200-meter freestyle gold in the 16-17 year old girls’ action.
“My instructors told me to just put my head down in the last five meters of my swim. And that’s what I did,” said Mojdeh as she and teammates Julia Basa, Kassandra Macaraig and Heather White came up with a time of one minute, 55.18 seconds.
Mandaluyong and General Trias settled for the silver and bronze with slower clockings of 1:59.42 and 1:59.73.
Mojdeh’s fifth gold came in the 200-meter butterfly on Thursday, when she submitted a time of 2:21.18, which was two seconds faster than the national record of 2:23.93 that Alzina Lim set back in 1998.
Authorities of Philippine Aquatics Inc. said they are still consolidating the national records compiled by the old Philippine Swimming Inc. in their bid to determine any new marks that have been set during the weeklong meet.
There’s still one more gold for Mojdeh to claim.
Mojdeh could end up with a seven-gold sweep if she conquers the 100-meter butterfly, too.
The 12-year old Taguinota, who is just enjoying himself after he’s done with his pet 50-meter backstroke event, added the 50-meter freestyle relay to his list of title conquests with his 1:54.57 clocking, alongside Pasig teammates Marcelino Picardal, Jefferson Sabularse and Charles Canlas, to go with his 100-meter butterfly victory for his seventh gold.
Taguinota, who is based in Qatar, also ruled the 100-meter backstroke, 4×50 meter medley relays, the 200-m IM and 50-meter backstroke.
In athletics, national team member Arnel Ferrera added to Baguio’s list of gold medals when he cleared 43.38 meters to earn the men’s hammer throw crown at the Philsports oval in Pasig.
Pasig is in second spot in the medal count with its 15-11-26 gold-silver-bronze haul, with Mandaluyong in third (11-11-17).
Ferrera’s effort contributed to Baguio’s move to the front of the Philippine National Games medals standings with 18 golds, 11 silvers and six bronzes.
In weightlifting, 18-year-old Oscar Hipolito clinched Zamboanga’s 10th gold with a new personal best lift of 100 kgs in the snatch of men’s 73-kg action, to go with a 126 in the clean and jerk, for a total of 222
Hipolito, who is from Mampang, said the words of his coach Allen Diaz and the Tokyo Olympics’ achievements of townmate Hidilyn Diaz inspired him to surpass his previous best effort of 215 (total).