Capped by their come from behind 93 – 88 overtime win against powerhouse Baguio in the secondary boys basketball for the gold, Benguet eclipsed its total medal output last year and improved to a second place finish at the close of the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association.
Host Benguet, based on the official medal tally from the Department of Education – Cordillera as of 11:00 am of Feb. 28, has already 79 golds including 105 silvers and 84 bronze to improve its standings in the largest sporting event in the region.
Athletics proved to be a catalyst for the province as it took home 15-9-8 in the elementary division while its counterpart in the secondary brought home 8-10-24, thanks to the throwing and running events.
Peter Ryll Jones was among the best performer in athletics after bagging the gold in shot put and javelin throw with Lander Tamiray adding a gold for the province in the 2,000 – meter walkathon.
Ayesa Olas (shotput), Feria Pinaw-an (javelin), Theasallonica Hacyabon (discus throw) and Maria Angeline Kedyam (100 M high hurdles) also delivered a gold each for Benguet.
“One month po kami nag training kaya masaya po ako nalagpasan ko yung personal best ko ng one meter,” said Hacyabon after clinching the gold in the discus throw event Monday afternoon.
In the elementary division, Megan Gorospe run away with three gold medals topping the 400, 800, and the 400 meters hurdles while Vaughn Casey Bayacsan (400-meter run, 800), Jill Angela Chiyawan (triple jump, high jump) and April Thea Cariño (shot put, discus throw) took two gold medals each on their respective events.
Bryner Bio (110 m high hurdles), Yu-an Wagtingan (triple jump), Kent Lee Aquin (javelin) and Janet Laoyan (javelin) had a gold each with the 4×400 meters relay squad composed of Zian Zahid kaligtan,
Xean Danielle Arison, Aceazell Vincent Langaoan and Bayacsan.
Aside from athletics, also delivering the medals for the elementary division are arnis (4-10), sepak takraw (2 golds), swimming (3-5-4) and tennis (2-0-1) for its 38-46-34 medal haul.
In the secondary division archery (2-8-6), basketball (2 golds), billiards (3-2-0), boxing (3-0-6), chess (3-2-2), dance sports (5-7-0), pencak silat (3-3-3), sepak takraw (3 golds), taekwondo (2-1) and wrestling (5-1-5) for a total of 43-61-53 gold-silver-bronze tally.
Benguet Cong. Eric Go Yap earlier said the improved standings can be attributed to the hiring of coaches and trainers for the province.
Yap said he sponsored three sports events which had a special training and a trainor to help Benguet athletes improve their performance in the regional meet.
“Meron tayong mga inisponsoran na tatlong event and ngayon makikita natin yung produkto na naka hire tayo ng coach, makikita natin yung magandang produkto sa mga atleta natin,” added Yap.
Last year, Benguet was in third place after securing 50 gold medals including 91 silvers and 89 bronze, behind second placer and host Apayao who won 62-74-107. Roderick Osis
