Baguio City athletes. PVC Media.photo
Baguio back on top
PERENNIAL champion Baguio City moved on the cusp of winning a record fourth consecutive championship after edging Cebu in the medal standings in one of the closest battles in the Batang Pinoy National Championships being held in various locations in Metro Manila.
Baguio City took control with17 gold, 16 silver, and 28 bronze medals against Cebu, which also gathered 17 golds, 14 silver, and 19 bronze medals after three days of intense competition in this event organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and supported by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), PBA, Milo Pocari Sweat, Smart Communications, Grab, Shakey’s Philippines and Chooks-To-Go.
Davao is a close third overall with 16 golds, 14 silvers, and 12 bronzes.
Lurking behind are Pasig (15-17-23), Mandaluyong (14-7-11), Zamboanga (14-6-4) and Quezon City (13-14-17).
Baguio City Sports Development chairman Gudz Jimenez Gonzales, however, is confident about securing additional gold medals in taekwondo, kickboxing, and wushu scheduled on the final day.
“We are confident that we will again emerge as overall champion. We still have gold medals not accounted for,” said Gonzales whose wards are also in strong contention for top overall finish in the Philippine National Games being held simultaneously with Batang Pinoy.
“We are also in contention for the overall title in the PNG,” claimed Gonzales, who is hoping to bring home the crown in the tournament for participants aged 18 and above.
Actually, Baguio City secured six gold medals in taekwondo, four in muay thai, three in archery and three in judo.
Winning the golds in taekwondo for Baguio City were Chezka Nicoletter in the Cadet Female 4th category, Joshua Aaron Erece (Kyorugi Junior Male Finweight), and Roklyn Matthew Salay (Cadet Male First Category) on Thursday held at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Cebu, on the other hand, garnered six gold medals each in gymnastics and karatedo, four in weightlifting and one in archery.
Leading the charge for Cebu Cityis gymnast Jazzmine Legaspi, who shone with three gold medals in WAG High Performance 2 Uneven Bars, HP2 Floor Exercise, and HP2 team event.
A total of 25 sports are contested in the tournament, including archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball 3×3, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, football, gymnastics, judo, karatedo, kickboxing, lawn tennis, muay thai, pencak silat, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, beach volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, and wushu.
