LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Baguio City’s athletes dived into the opening day of the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) with a dominant performance, securing eight gold medals to claim an early lead in the overall standings Monday.
Powerhouse Baguio leaned heavily on its swimming contingent at the Benguet Sports Complex, where the Summer Capital tankers swept several relay and individual events with an 8-4-3 medal count as of 7:00 pm of Feb. 23.
The City of Pines showed its depth in the pool, sparked by gold-medal finishes in the 200-meter medley relays. The girls’ team of Alexa Reine Apan, Czey Lian Dizon, Gabriella Neytizri Mendoza, and Zephanaia Ielle Tagara set the pace, while the boys’ squad—comprised of Jeanne Dominic Bongotan, Arnold Copes Jr., Ashton John Rivera, and Ezekiel Rhylkyle Tambiac—matched the feat.
Gabriella Neytizri Mendoza and Jeanne Dominic Bongotan both doubled their gold count by winning their respective 100-meter backstroke events. Ashton John Rivera added another gold in the 200-meter butterfly, while Jan Eowyn Caruncho claimed the top spot in her 100-meter backstroke division.
Baguio’s success wasn’t limited to the water.
On the track, John Edward Carbonell leaped to victory in the long jump, helping solidify the city’s pole position.
Host province Benguet sits in second place with a 4-1-2 medal haul, finding most of its success on the field and in the distance lanes.
Vin Diesel Valencia lived up to his fast-paced namesake by clinching gold in the long jump, while teammates Ayesa Olas (discus throw) and Megan Gorospe (3000-meter run) dominated their respective athletics events.
Xian Thyrell Sambot provided Benguet’s lone gold in the pool with a victory in the 100-meter backstroke.
Other provinces also found their way to the top of the podium in the first day of competition with Abra having 1-4-1 haul courtesy of Nicole Hullana delivering a gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly.
Kalinga has 1-2-5 gold-silver-bronze medal haul after the boys’ 200-meter medley relay team, led by Rogie Vuestre Columna and John Mendoza, secured the province’s first gold.
Apayao has 1-0-1 with Joshua Macalling proving his strength in the field, taking home the gold in the discus throw. Roderick Osis