By Kristel Satumbaga
DAVAO DEL NORTE – Koronadal City showed its might in the three-day archery competitions after collecting 20 gold medals in the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg at the Davnor Sports & Tourism Complex here.
John Carlo Loreno spearheaded the squad by becoming the most bemedalled athlete so far with a sweep of all his seven events in the cadet boys 30-meter, 40m, 50m, 60m, single FITA, Olympic round and mixed team event with Precious Micah Basadre.
Basadre, the eldest of the three siblings competing in this weeklong grassroots multi-sports program, meanwhile, contributed six gold medals in the cadet girls 30m, 40m, 50m, single FITA and Olympic round apart from the mixed team mint.
Jeremiah Adrian Basadre won golds in the cub boys 20m, 30m, 50m, single FITA and mixed team with Prince Jewel Gregorio while Justine Basadre prevailed in the bowman boys Olympic round and single FITA and Jonathan Rioja prevailing in the double 20m.
“Every arrow na ma-shoot ko, I shoot with confidence,” said Precious Micah, who turns 15 in July.
Moreno, meanwhile, made a glamorous exit in his last Batang Pinoy appearance, saying that he adjusted with the way he dropped his bow and released his arrows compared from last year’s National performance where he only settled for two silvers and one bronze medal.
In swimming, two-time Palarong Pambansa bet John Alexander Talosig steered North Cotabato to 17 gold medals by winning five mints in the boys 13-15 400m freestyle (4:28.35), 200m free (2:05.43), 15-under 400m individual medley (5:00.58), 13-15 200m IM (2:19.74) and 15-under 1500m free (17:52.25).
Davao City also finished with 17 golds in the three-day swimming events, followed by host Davao del Norte with nine golds.
At the Robinson’s Mall, Cagayan de Oro’s Emmanuel Paculba and Butuan City’s Angela Marianito ruled the badminton mini-cadet boys and girls singles with straight-set wins over Iligan City’s Mark Steven Pabelic and Niquee Romero of Kiamba, Sarangani.
