Baguio City is on course to reclaiming the ove-all title after amassing 23 gold medals in the 2025 Batang Pinoy National Championships being heldin General Santos City.
The Summer Capital, a four-time overall champion, overtook the City of Manila to seize the lead in the overall medal tally, thanks to 10 golds on the first day of the archery competition on Tuesdayincluding 10 silver, and 14 bronze.
Jianna Rae Delos Reyes (girls’ 12 years old compound) and Jeptha Caleb Fernandez (boys’ 14 years old compound) delivered three golds each at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University.
Also winning their respective events were Jalorrae Cxethreen Lictao, Jan Precious Laking, Kester RJ Delos Reyes, and Ryzen Keith Viduya.
Baguio could build a commanding lead as many combat sports events have yet to be contested.
Manila, which took the front for the first two days, is now in second place with 15-15-13 (gold-silver-bronze), followed by defending overall champion Pasig City with 14-10-22.
Quezon City is at fourth with 13-11-17, with host General Santos City at fifth with 8-3-3.
A total of 18,698 athletes from 188 local government units are competing in 27 sports in the tournament organized by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Cash prizes at stake are P5 million (first place), P4 million (2nd), P3 million (3rd), P2 million (4th), and P1 million (5th).
Earlier, cyclist Precious Faye Hindap of Iloilo City proved her coach right by bagging two gold medals in the girls’ 16–17 individual road race category.
In her first national-level competition, Hindap was among four cyclists who finished as a bunch, clocking 1:19:53, alongside silver medalist Yvonne Alejado of Passi City, Iloilo, and bronze medalist Sheila Marie Rapada of Ormoc City.
Fourth placer Darren Joyce Matterig fell short by just one second in the close race, which covered 45.66 kilometers.
“Nahirapan akong mag-break away sa kanila, magagaling eh,” said the soft-spoken Hindap. “Mga three months akong nag-training. Masaya siyempre na naka-gold medal ako.”
She also credited coaches Pido Pesina and Teessai Blanco for recognizing her potential in the country’s premier grassroots sports program organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Hindap claimed her first Batang Pinoy gold medal on Monday after topping the individual time trial event.
In the boys’ division of the same event, Pasig City’s Nathaniel Aquino (2:10:24) emerged victorious after edging Iloilo City’s Aldren John Decafe by a second, while Makati City’s Roy Benedict Plastina settled for bronze with a time of 2:10:54.
Aquino and Decafe broke away in the final stretch, narrowly avoiding a massive pileup that knocked seven cyclists out of contention in the 90.66-kilometer race.
It was Aquino’s second gold medal in the event in three years; he finished 15th in the 2024 edition in Puerto Princesa. NLMonitor
Baguio poised to retake Batang Pinoy over-all crown
