TARLAC - Save for thrower Gia Bucag, the elementary division of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) suffered from a gold medal dehydration until Heiro John Concepcion came in.
Concepcion lorded it over the vault event of the men’s artistic gymnastics and finshed with 13.200 points to beat National Capital Region’s John Timbang and Carlos Yulo.
This is only the second gold medal from the elementary division after Bucag won the javelin throw in the second day competitions.
Cviraa continued to spiral after dethe fending champions were unseated on the penultimate day of the competitions. Luckily, sprinter Daniel Noval and archer Marie Crizabelle Merto were there to keep the team’s head above water.
Region 7 now has a 12-22-13 gold-silver-bronze medal haul.
However the overall tally and the team’s ranking will be known only in the final day.
Noval mirrored his performance the other day where he won the gold but failed to break a record.
Disappointed
Noval collected another gold medal after winning the 200-meter run. He posted 22.19 seconds and once more equaled the mark set by Ronald Caluanan in 1998.
He also equaled Caluanan’s 100m record set in 1998.
“Disappointing kaayo kay nag aim gud ta ug record. Naa man sad gud na sa round off sa time maong wala gyud nakabreak,” said Noval, who is playing in his last Palarong Pambansa.
Merto, on the other hand, collected her third and fourth gold medals after winning the Fita and Olympic rounds in archery. She also had a silver medal in the 40m division.
She said her biggest obstacles were the very windy conditions and the intense heat.
“I am not contented with my performance. I won the gold but my scores are way lower that what I get during training. I could have done better,” said Merto.
Region 7 suffered a huge blow after tennis champion Bernardine Siso and the girls volleyball team lost the chance to go home with another gold.
Siso lost to Jurence Mendoza of Region 3, 8-5, in the quarterfinals of the secondary boys singles competition, while Loren Dale Echavez lost in her last event, the 400m freestyle to Erika Lukang of Calabarzon.
The elementary volleyball team, on the other hand, which was fighting for a rare four-peat in the Palaro, was dislodged by Western Visayas in straight sets, 25-22, 25-11.
The silver medalists in the secondary division were gymnast Mary Carmelli Garovillo won two silver medals in the hoopd and rope events of the women’s artistic gymnastics, while archer Romeo Betache won the silver in the secondary boys Olympic round.
The silver medalists in the elementary division were Hipolito Banal on boxing, Kyle Flores and Ma. Asherah Dayuday in kyurogi event in taekwondo.
The secondary football team is also assured of a silver after making it to the finals today against Davao. The team beat Calabarzon via shootout in the semifinals yesterday. The elementary team is still in contention and was set to play in the semifinals yesterday.