Ilagan City bet cops first Batang Pinoy Luzon gold

ILAGAN CITY, Isabela – Unheralded Eljay Marco Vista made the host city proud as he topped the cadet male individual poomsae in taekwondo to emerge as the first gold medal winner in the Luzon leg of the 2019 Philippine National Youth Games Batang Pinoy at the San Felipe Covered Court here on Monday, March 19. 

Vista, 12, showed exceptional form and technique in amassing 7.670 points and edging highly touted Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Kacey Canlas of Olongapo to capture the gold on his very first appearance in this weeklong event for in and out-of-school youth athletes aged 15 years old and below.

Canlas managed just 7.6 to settle for the silver while Wriely Canao of Baguio City – a team event gold medalist in last year’s Palaro in Vigan, Ilocos Sur – garnered 7.465 for the bronze.

“I’m so happy because I really prepared long and hard for this competition,” said Canlas, a Grade 6 student at Ilagan South Central School, in Filipino.

Ian Matthew Corton of Quezon City and Aesha Kiara Oglayon of Baguio City also struck with poomsae golds in the junior boys and cadet girls, respectively.

Corton elicited a 8.105 score from the judges to best King Nash Alcairo of Quezon Province (8.04), Emmanuel Christopher Austria of Naga City (7.95) and Carl John Viloria of Alicia, Isabela with (7.88) while Oglayon tallied 7.82 to edge Khyla Kreanzzel Guinto of Baguio (7.765,) Antonette Medallada of Paranque (7.65) and Princess Mariano of Pangasinan (7.635).

In rapid chess, Mark Jay Bacojo of Dasmarinas, Cavite and Jan Clifford Labog of Nueva Vizcaya downed Wayne Ruiz of Sta. Rosa and Alexis Vien Sim of Caloocan, respectively, to remain unscathed after 3 rounds in the premier boys’ 15-under division.

In basketball, Mandaluyong turned back Pasig, 51-50, Pangasinan smashed Mariveles, 77-26, and Polangui dumped Guinobatan, 71-50, to grab an early share of the lead.

Pangasinan also came out strong in volleyball as it bashed Mandaluyong, 25-7, 25-8, to join early winners Angeles, which whipped Sta. Rosa, 25-21, 25-22, Bataan, which trounced Muntinlupa, 25-13, 25-18, and Mariveles, which downed Candon, 25-7, 25-12.

It was the same result for Pangasinan in beach volley as it thwarted Mandaluyong, 21-18, 21-15, to accompany Olongapo, which waylaid Ilagan City, 21-5, 21-5, at the top.

In softball, powerhouse Tanauan blanked Baguio, 11-0, to zoom to the top alongside Sta. Maria, which stunned Manila, 6-4, and Dasmarinas, which bamboozled Pasig, 10-1. – Rappler.com