Standout throwers Maika De Oro, Darnelle Camposilao and Josie Entrina of Negros Occidental claimed their second gold medals yesterday as the hosts zoomed into the lead in three of the four divisions in the track and field competition of the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet in Bacolod City.

A 1-2 finish in discus throw pushed Negros into the lead in the secondary girls' division with 52 points, followed by Iloilo with 50 and Guimaras with 12 at the Panaad Park and Stadium.

The Negrenses also tightened their grip of the secondary boys' division with 39 points, following the victory of Talisay's Arjay Arinal in the 110-m hurdles and the silver finish of Renjo Clavel in the 800-m.

Iloilo, buoyed by Jordan Paul Billones' win in the 800-m, has 28 points to take second spot, while Capiz is in third with 20. With De Oro ruling the discus throw event to add to her shotput win, the Negrenses --- who also drew a gold each from Mary Jun Espinosa in the 100-m hurdles and Rose Ann Silvano in long jump --- opened a 17-point gap in the elementary girls' division with 60 points. Iloilo is in second with 43.

But the Ilonggos made their move in the elementary boys' division, despite another golden performance from Camposilao, who hails from Aguisan, Himamaylan, and the triumph of Escalante's Aldin Flores in the 800-m.

Ilonggo Jetro Mallorca topped the 100-m hurdles in 18.67, ahead of Negros' Gerard Mark Layumas, who clocked 18.84.

Entrina stamped her class anew, snaring the discus throw gold, despite fouling in her last two throws. She registered a 28.89-m effort to win the crown.

Flores, a sixth grader at Escalante Central Elementary School, gave Negros seven points, after clocking 2:10.72 for the gold in the 800-m. An hour earlier, Camposilao reigned supreme in the discus throw event with a 24.04-m heave, while teammate Francis Vargas settled for the silver.

De Oro, who will graduate from Education Training and Center School II next month, heaved the iron plate to a distance of 30.57-m, below her target of 32-m.

Silvano struck gold with her 4.37-m effort, while Guimaras' Myra De Vera settled for silver with a 4.30-m leap. A sophomore at Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School in Talisay City, Arinal clocked 16.18 seconds in the 110-m hurdles, edging Antique's Jimwell Castillon (16.54).

Clavel timed 2:04.77 in the 800-m event to place second behind, Jordan Paul Billones, who crossed the finish line in 2:04.56. Shotput gold winner Bon Daryl Lagunday was competing in the discus throw event as of press deadline. *CPT

back to top

Negros swimmers bag 19 of 28 golds
Negrense throwers strike again
Netters, shuttlers triumph
Bacolod batters get green light