PROUD ATHLETES. Camarines Sur's Lheslie Delima (left) and Jarphes Delfino share the joy of reigning the track and field competition at the 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships at the Baguio’s Athletic Bowl on Thursday (Sept. 20, 2018). Delima ruled the girls’ 1,500-meter run, while Delfino bagged the gold in the 5,000-meter run. (Photo by Primo Agatep)
BAGUIO CITY -- Jarphes Delfino and Lheslie Delima of Camarines Sur on Thursday captured the gold medal in their respective events to cap the final day of athletics competition in the 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championships here.
Delfino topped the lung-busting boys’ 5,000-meter run for 17:13.60 seconds, while 13-year-old Delima ruled the girls’ 1,500-meter run, finishing in 5:10.61 seconds.
The 15-year-old Delfino is a Grade 9 student of Cabatonan High School in Lagonoy town, Camarines Sur, who plans to join the Philippine Navy in the future. He beat Hussein Lorana of Baguio City, who made it to the finish line in 17:21.19 seconds and took the second place.
Mark Rennel Hubag of South Cotabato bagged the bronze medal for his 18.00.71 seconds stint.
Delima, a Grade 8 student of Baao National High School, defeated Charmaine de Ocampo of Dasmarińas City and Ira Mae Gali of Baguio, who took the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Sprinter Jason Jabol highlighted the athletics competition with his triple gold output (100-meter, 200-meter, and 4X100-meter relay) and powered Dasmarińas City’s 4-6-1 (gold-silver-bronze) total medals haul.
Rea Christine Rafanan displayed an impeccable style to grab the gold in the girls’ triple jump with a distance of 11.61 meters and punctuated Pangasinan's 4-4-0 (gold-silver-bronze) medal production for the runner-up spot.
Rafanan defeated Bohol’s Diana Rysianne Hurana, who took the silver (11.13 meters) and Botolan, Zambales’ Mariel Abuan’s 10.83 meters for the bronze.
South Cotabato and Taguig City both demonstrated tenacious teamwork en route to rule the boys’ and girls’ 4X400-meter relay, respectively, amid the mid-morning heat and thunderous cheers from the crowd at the refurbished Baguio Athletic Bowl.
South Cotabato’s triumph in the boys’ 4X400-meter relay with a finish of 3:39.66 powered their track and field team in third place with 4-1-3 (gold-silver-bronze).
Taguig’s victory in the girls’ 4X400-meter relay (4:19.33), meanwhile, was enough to put their track team in the medals board, with 1-0-1 (gold-silver-bronze).
Jan Rey Gallano took the gold in the boys’ 400-meter hurdles with 57.20 seconds and lifted Laguna province to the fourth spot with 4-0-2 (gold-silver-bronze) medal harvest.
Gallano defeated Dave Joseph Basungit of Candon, Ilocos Sur (58.84 sec.) and Ryle Simon Biadora of Bago City (58.96 sec.) for the silver and bronze finish, respectively, in the boys’ 400-meter hurdles.
Baguio’s wonder girl, Ira Mae Gali, 15, Grade 9 student at the Baguio City National High School’s Special Program in Sports (SPS), topped the 3,000- and 800-meter run to put host city’s fifth place finish with 2-4-3 (gold-silver-bronze) total medal haul.
Gali, who intends to take a teaching course in college, clocked 11:40.86 in the 3,000-meter run. She defeated ace runners Delima of Camarines Sur (11:41.71) and Magvrylle Matchino of Laguna province (11:43.12).
Also a double gold medalist was Marie Grace Joson of Camarines Sur, who topped the discus throw and javelin throw field events.
Other gold medalists were Arjay Rios (javelin throw) and Angelo Lubusta (long jump), both of Pangasinan; Jayvee Alvarez of Leyte (1,500 meters); Charlaine Deocampo (girls’ 400-meter hurdles); Peter Lachica of South Cotabato (2,000-meter walk); Daniel Ann Piniero (girls’ 200 meters).
Rex Amamangpang of Cebu ended the track and field competition with his victory in the boys’ triple jump event with a distance of 13.69 meters.
He beat Charles Andny Antones of Dasmarinas City (13.65 meters) and Rock Angelo Sotto of Cebu City (13.45 meters). (PNA)
