ILOILO CITY – Archer Naina Dominique Tagle of Dumaguete bested Dencil Shane Dinopol of Cebu City, 7-1, in the Olympic round finals yesterday to become the first seven-gold medal winner in the Visayas Leg of the 2019 Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy at the West Visayas State University field here.
Playing in the event for 13-15 years old, the 10-year-old Tagle capped her dominating show with a masterful win over Dinopol. She earlier won in the 20m, 30m, 40m, 50m, single FITA and mixed team alongside Matt Charid Bajado.
“It was nerve-wracking because I don’t know how good the opponents are and I’m younger than them,” said Tagle, a Grade 5 Silliman University student.
Prisa Helen Lofranco blanked close buddy and teammate Kristanna Carmela Quisumbing, 6-0, in the girls’ cadet finale to wind up with six golds.
It also helped Dumaguete rule the sport closest to its heart being the archery capital of the Philippines as it went home with 13 golds in all.
Cebu City’s Aldrener Igot dumped Bajado, 6-0, in boys’ cub event while Godwell Maloloy-on of Mandaeu downed Shann Michael Sumagaysay, 6-2, in the boys’ cadet to each finish with six golds.
Over at the pool, Alexi Kouzenye Cabayaran of Negros Occidental struck twice to emerge with the most number of gold medals in swimming with six.
Cabayaran, 12, ruled the girls’ 200m freestyle in two minutes and 17.65 seconds, rested for half an hour before plunging back into action and reigned supreme in the 50m free where she clocked 28.92 to end up with six mints.
The sixth-grader from Mambukal Elementary School in Silai also won in the 50m and 100m backstroke, 100m free and the 200m medley relay with Mareanne Apdo, Ela Reign Buelos and Rianna Montelibano.
