By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
BANTAY, Ilocos Sur — Lucena City’s Kristian Yugo Cabana made a huge splash in his first Batang Pinoy National Championships appearance after clinching the tournament’s first gold medal at the Quirino Stadium pool here Saturday, Dec. 17.
Cabana, a 12-year-old Grade 7 student of International School for Better Beginnings, submitted his personal best of 2 minutes and 29.50 seconds to rule the boys 12-under 200 meter individual medley.
Valenzuela City’s Kevin Bryle Chan timed 2:33.40 for silver while Angeles City’s Daniel Jonas Ocampo posted 2:35.30 for bronze.
“Nagulat po ako sa time ko ngayon. Na-excite din po ako dahil nag-best time ako,” said Cabana, who has been training under coach Alton John De Luna for Lucena City.
Cabana shoots for more medals when he competes in the 50m butterfly, 100m fly, 200m fly and 200m freestyle in the coming days.
Other winners for the day were La Union’s Kyla Louise Bulaga and General Santos City’s Evenezir Polancos Jr.
Bulaga timed 2:44.45 to capture the girls 12-under 200m IM ahead of Ilocos Sur’s Makayla Fetalvero (2:51.80) and Bulacan’s Eunice De Guzman (2:52.59) while Polancos dominated the boys 13-15 200m IM in 2:18.50 ahead of Lucena City’s Peter Cyrus Dean (2:18.90) and Mabalacat City’s Shan Kervie Medina (2:22.70).
Around 1,386 participants are seeing action in the swimming competitions.
Meanwhile, medal events in centerpiece athletics fire off at the Quirino Stadium Sunday, Dec. 18, along with cycling at the Provincial Capitol Diversion Road and weightlifting at the Caoayan gym in Caoayan.
A total of 55 gold medals are at stake overall in athletics, 12 in cycling and 24 in weightlifting.
Virtual competition in wushu also starts on Saturday along with muay, while taekwondo, pencak silat and arnis open on Sunday, Dec. 19. Karate and dancesport open on Monday, Dec. 20.
