Puerto Princesa, Palawan— With Aldrener Igot, Jr. doing a lot of heavy lifting, Team Cebu City is poised to take the team honors in the archery event on Day 4 of the 2019 Batang Pinoy National Finals here.
The 14-year-old Igot bagged his sixth gold medal, and led Cebu City close to the team gold as well following the end of the cub boys Olympic round.
“Confident naman kami,” Cebu City coach Mike Solier after Igot outscored Nathaniel Carlos of host Puerto Princesa, 6-2.
Igot’s efforts allowed Cebu to move in front of the team standings with 3872 points, along with teammates Khalil Abella and Adrielle Parayno.
Inspiration from his half-brother Orlando Anora, a member of the national team in the past, is keeping Igot going.
And now, Igot will have a chance to seek two more golds and earn more gold medals in the boys team finals, and the mixed team finals with Abella and Torreon respectively.
“I got into archery because of my brother, Kuya Orlando. Now that with summer training helping, I have taken the game seriously,” said the 20-year-old Igot, who is from Pasil.
The eight-grader of the Don Carlos A. Gothong School, earlier swept the golds in the 20m, 30m, 40m, 50m and FITA events.
In the distaff side, Naina Dominique Tagle of Dumaguete repulsed Shane Dinopol of Cebu in the girls’ side to hike her gold medal haul to five.
In athletics, Laguna bet Magvrylle Matchino of Laguna snared two more golds to emerge as the most bemedalled trackster with four and a silver.
The 14-year-old from Siniloan Integrated School towed the girls’ 4x100m and 4x400m squad of Janine Dauba, Evita Ruth Belloso and Kyla Elona to golds with times of 52.4 seconds and 4:17.30, respectively.
She had earlier taken the 2000m steeplechase mint in 7:38.8 to add to Matchino’s silver medal finish to barefoot Camarines Sur runner Lheslie de Lima.
“Kulang ako sa tapang ng loob nung naglaban kami ni de Lima. Pero, habang tumatagal, nag-enjoy na ako at lumakas ang loob ko,” said Matchino, the daughter of a caregiver working in London.
Igot’s efforts was still not able help Cebu City move in front of the overall standings.
Baguio is up in ahead has 17 gold, 14 silver and 21 bronze medals following victories in judo from Leerenz Tindaan (-50kgs class), Aoen Lance Kim (-55kgs), and Wright Lonogan (-60kgs).
Cebu, which was ahead the other day, is second with a 15-19-19 (gold-silver-bronze) haul, with Davao City (15-12-14), Pasig (14-24-12) and Cotabato (14-3-1) in third to fifth places.
In cycling, Ruben del Cruz of Pangasinan, Athena Magpantay of Sara, Iloilo and Lwahna Montanes of Paranaque clocked 7:21.8, 27:13.9 and 37:15.3 ruled their respective age brackets in cross country mountain bike.
In chess, Ghian Michael Aleria of Dipolog City ruled the 12-under rapid event, with Troy Ventura of Dasmarinas City and Buto Al Asher of Cainta City settling for the silver and bronze.
Mark Jay Bacojo claimed the 13-15 years old boys rapid division with 4.5 points, with Jeremy Marticio (Laguna) and Jan Labog (Nueva Vizcaya) taking the silver and bronze.