ZAMBOANGA CITY – Reymond Pelisan, a petite cadet from far Eastern Agusan Province, struck for three gold medals as Philippine Army continued to dominate the swimming competition of the 2024 ROTC Games Mindanao Leg at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex here.
The 21-year-old third year Criminology student at Northern Mindanao College, Inc. won only one gold in the first day but came back to rule the men’s 200-m freestyle (2:48.47), men’s 200-m backstroke (4:02.07) and 100-m butterfly in 1:40.87.
“Last year, we were not able to participate because of financial constraints. We sought help from our LGU but to no avail kaya bumawi na lang kami ngayon,” said Pelisan from Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, who now owned four golds to his name.
But the day actually belonged to Philippine Navy cadet Haji Al-Jhaes, who is now the most bemedalled athlete with five golds after adding the men’s 100-m backstroke (1:19.63) and the 200-m freestyle (2:41.57) to his collection. He won three golds on Monday.
The Army cadets, who fielded the most number of entries compared to the other two branches of services, now have 18 golds in swimming alone after also winning 9 yesterday.
Jellie Somera inspired the rest of the team by winning two more golds – women’s 200-m freestyle (3:25.62) and 100-m backstroke (1:38.69). She also won two golds on the first day.
“We have no practice kasi akala hindi na naman kami suportahan kagaya last year. Buti na lang nanalo pa rin. Salamat sa Diyos!” said Somera, who also hails from Cabadbaran City and also a third year Criminology student at Northern Mindanao College, Inc.
Also contributing for the Army were Jovaira Valle in the women’s 50-m breastroke (50.45) and women’s 100-m butterfly. She won two golds on the opening day.
Ronnie Tayom also reigned in the men’s 100-m backstroke (1:25.87), Heriame Guiao in the men’s 50-m backstroke (39.26) and Wendelyn Sangcom in the women’s 200-m backstroke (7:22.14).
John Austin Hampac led the Air Force with victories in the men’s 200-m freestyle (2:16.41) and 100-m butterfly (1:03.31) to pad his golds to also four. Daniela Melburn dominated the women’s 200-m freestyle (3:30.83) and 100-m butterfly (1:43.28).
Jedd Rauf Marrack won the men’s 100-m backstroke (1:14.57) and men’s 50-m breastroke (39.05), while Janna Melburn captured the gold in the women’s 50-m breastroke (50.23) to hand Air Force’ 13th gold in aquatics.
The Navy Sailors had Apolinario Micoper winning the men’s 50-m breaststroke in 48.44 seconds for the Navy’s total of six golds after two days.
Early in the day, over at the athletics oval in the same JFEMSC, Armywoman Rhea Mae Linaja of the I-Link College of Science and Technology, Inc. won the women’s long jump event with a leap of 4.19-meter, while Jenny Manongsong of Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University recorded 3.74-m to win the women’s long jump for the Navy.
Jenny Rose Ibanez of Western Mindanao State University gave the Air Force its first athletic gold with her win in the women’s 1,500-m run in 7:52.5, while the Army fielded Jessa Corpus of Tangub City Global College to bring home the gold in the women’s 1,500-m run (5:34.5).
Army Man A.J.R Calago of Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Dipolog registered the best time of 4:32.2 to rule the men’s 1,500-m run. James Philronne Orcia of Western Mindanao State University won the same event for the Air Force in 5:11.1 and Alec Rowen Garcia of Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology for the Navy (4:59.8).
