• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod secured its first gold in the ongoing Batang Pinoy games, courtesy of Anika Kathryn Matiling, who emerged victorious in the Girls 12 & under 100 Freestyle event Dec. 18 at the Teofilo Yldefonso Aquatic Center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
Matiling, daughter of Kayte Matiling, president of the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, is competing in five individual events and anchoring two relays, the city Public Information Office said, adding that she is one of the city’s prime contenders for multiple triumphs in the pool.
Bacolod’s beach volleyball teams are also showcasing their prowess in the Philippine National Games (PNG) and Batang Pinoy (BP), securing back-to-back victories.
In the PNG Beach Volleyball tournament, MJ Ebro and Gelimae Villanueva clinched a resounding win in their first match against Pasig, 21-8, 21-10. The duo, coached by Reylin Verayo, was gearing up for their match against Bulacan, as of press time, aiming to continue their winning streak and elevate the city’s standing in the competition.
In the BP Beach Volleyball competition, the trio of Joshua Ellora, Joshua Masagnay, and Renbert Puzon, coached by Joeve de la Cruz, also achieved remarkable victories. They won their first match against Davao Dec. 17, with a score of 21-14, 21-15, and secured their second victory today against Cagayan de Oro, 21-13, 21-17.
Young badminton prodigy Samuel Borcillo also emerged victorious in the Boys’ Singles 12-14 category, advancing to the Round of 128 at the National Badminton Championships.
Several athletes from various schools in Bacolod City are joining this year’s BP and PNG championships.
Of the 25 sports disciplines, Bacolod athletes will compete in arnis, athletics, archery, badminton, beach volleyball, 3×3 basketball, chess, cycling, lawn tennis, karatedo, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and weightlifting, the city PIO earlier said.
The PNG and BP national championships are seeing the participation of 18,000 athletes from 193 local government units.
The PNG is for athletes 18 years old and above, while the BP is for those 17 years and below.
There will also be competitions in football, dancesport, gymnastics, judo, kickboxing, muay thai, pencak silat, sepak takraw, and wushu. | CGC
