Batang Pinoy: Diaz, Bucol shine
MATTHEW Diaz of City of Rizal and Adrian Bucol of Zamboanga City flaunted their wares on the first day of the weightlifting competitions in the 2023 Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy.
The two weightlifters clinched gold medals at the Dacudao court near the lawn tennis center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Malate.
Diaz, the nephew of Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo, delivered an impressive performance with a score of 41 in snatch and 55 in clean and jerk, accumulating a total of 96 in the B37 category.
Diaz outshone Zamboanga contender Cydrelle Jay Andalahao, who secured a total of 95 by lifting his best in snatch with 42 and 53 in clean and jerk.
“Masaya po ako sa panalo ko. Tinuturuan din po ako ng tita ko (Hidilyn Diaz) at sinasabi rin po na wag matakot” said Diaz who is Grade 7 student of Jalajala National High School.
.Jhempson Legarte of Zamboanga Del Sur earned the bronze medal with a score of 36 in Snatch and 47 in Clean and Jerk, for a total of 83.
Bucol, on the other hand, outperformed his teammate Paul Jake Bitong and Kemuel Luke Ubanan of Cebu City in the B32 category.
The 12-year-old Bucol achieved his 45 in snatch and a Clean and Jerk of 58, securing a total of 103.
In comparison, Bitong recorded a snatch of 36 and a clean and jerk of 48, resulting in a total of 84.
Ubanan scored 30 in snatch and 39 in clean and jerk, bringing his total to 69.
Meanwhile, Aristen Dormitorio and Jhaykarl Ophir M. Nuñez of Quezon City emerged as the first-place finishers at the Tagaytay Centrum cycling event in Tagaytay City.
Dormitorio claimed the gold medal in the Girls 13U category with a time of 45:48.4, outpacing Yvaine Osias who settled for the silver medal with a time of 46:00.8. Ysabel Nicole Jamero of the City of Iloilo secured the bronze medal with a time of 46:26.3.
Nuñez secured the gold medal in the Boys 13-Under category with a time of 42:30.2, while Kylle Jabat Flores of the City of General Santos and Mark Jerenz Atienza of the City of Calapan settled for the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Flores finished with a time of 42:30.4, and Atienza clocked in at 43:00.5.
