By MARK REY MONTEJO
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan – Under the scorching sun, Philippines Team E’s Quendy Fernandez continued to shine in front of her hometown fans after notching her fourth gold medal in the swimming event to become the most bemedalled athlete so far in the 11th BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games here at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Fernandez, 19, went blistering hot in the girls’ 100m backstroke and clocked 1 minute and 7.21 seconds to rule the event, outshining eventual silver winner Lora Micah Amoguis (1:10.53) of PH Team A’s and Jann Maureen Doton of Team B (1:18.42).
“It’s a fun experience kasi dito po ako nagco-compete kung saan ako lumaki, and dito rin po ako natuto lumangoy from kinder palang dito nako nagii-swim, lalo na nandito pa ako sa international competition,” said Fernandez, a second year student from UP Diliman.
“Sobrang malaking boost po sa akin na makita ko po yung mga familiar faces. It just really brings so much joy and energy. Hopefully, madagdagan ko pa po yung mga medals ko,” the UAAP Season 86 Individual Sports’ Athlete of the Year winner added.
Fernandez, a PNG multi-medalist, also topped the 4×50 girls’ 200m medley and freestyle relays while notching her first gold in the 50m backstroke and silver in the 4×100 400m freestyle class last Monday, Dec. 2.
PH Team A’s Philip Sahagun, meanwhile, snared his third gold in the boys’ 100m backstroke in 1:00.82. He hoped to add more mints when he competes in the 200m back and 4×100 medley.
In archery, Utada Lorica and Craig Gimongala settled for the silver in the mixed compound division after bowing to Indonesia’s Regina Tania and Rasya Muhammad, 153-139.
While in recurve, Philippines B (0) and E (4 (16*) got the silver and bronze while Malaysia B (6) snagged the gold.
In athletics on Monday, Milchay Moreno bagged the women’s 400m gold in 1:00.41 to beat Malaysia B’s Shakira Natashya (1:02.44), and her teammate Crislyn Grace Wenceslao (1:02.77).
The 17-year-old Moreno has two assignments left as she sets to vie in the girls 4×1 and 4×4 400m relays.
Other winners were Indonesia’s Muhammad Ariel Hairuddin (men’s 100m); Malaysia B’s Rizkah Abdullah (women’s 100m); Idwine Idris (men’s 400m); and Daniella Jimil (women’s discus), and PH A’s Jhonmark Sedoripa (men’s shot put).
