Cordillera athletes racked up 24 gold, 22 silver, and 16 bronze medals and bagged the fourth overall title in this year’s Palarong Pambansa at Tagum City, Daval del Norte last week.

               The athletes successfully upstaged their fifth overall finish last year and maintained its total collection of 24 gold medals.

               The high school athletes contributed to the total haul, 14 gold, 16 silver, and 12 bronze medals while their counterparts from the elementary shelved in 10 gold, six silver, and four bronze medals.

               The overall finish of the region was nearly snatched by Region 10 on the fifth day of the biggest sporting event by the Department of Education (DepEd) when the athletes from Northern Mindanao managed to squeeze in a gold medal ahead of CAR.

               However, the additional golds from archery, taekwondo, arnis, and the historic mints from Chess Secondary and Lawn Tennis Elementary on the final day propelled CAR into its final spot.

               Archery boys and girls secondary threw in a total of 6-5-3 medals. Archer Loren Chloe Denna Balaoing who recently graduated Valedictorian in Baguio City National High School became the most bemedalled high school athlete with an impressive 5-1-2 medal finish.

               Arnisadores Twinkle Domingo and Ezarai Yalong provided the first gold medals for CAR on the first days of competitions, bringing in a total of three gold, five silver, and five bronze medals.

               Meanwhile,the taekwondo team was only a few mints shy of successfully defending their championship belt this year but still heaved 11 gold medals, 10 silver, and five bronze medals from both elementary and highs school jins.

               Chess wizard Brylle Gever Vinluan and rising tennis star of Mt. Province Geanlijah Rose Sagandoy made history with their additional mints to the pot of gold after a long drought for CAR from their respective events in the high school and elementary levels, respectively.

               This year, most of the gold medalists are from Baguio. Only Sagandoy and last year’s most bemedalled athlete Quint Abejah Amongan, elementary thrower Lairyn Marquez, and archer Ruby Grace Belino are from Mt. Province, Ifugao, and Benguet, correspondingly.

               In the Demonstration Sports category which includes wushu, wrestling, billiards, and futsal, CAR came in a strong second with 6-6-3 medal haul. Region six edged cordillera athletes for first place with only one gold ahead.

               Wrestlers from the region, most from the province of Ifugao, were declared champion after a total of four golds, four silver, and one bronze medal.

               Nathaniel Gullunan, Ruzzel Tuguinay, Lovelyn Bandao and Clarizza Mae Hagitan toppled others for the gold.

               Settling for silver were Kenneth Mang-uhan, Jess Ngolab, Bless Napiloy, and Arselyn Battatong. Maricca Hagitan managed a bronze after a week-long weight loss regimen.

               In wushu, Dave Alsiyang of Tabuk City and Judy Ann Fiastin reaped golds. Alvius Cordero Jr. of Tabuk City, Ike Foman-eg and Marcelo Kelly, both from Mt. Province snatched silver medals while Jade Saclag, also of Tabuk City, settled for bronze.

               CAR also placed eight among 14 regions who participated in the Special Games. Special athlete Jemark Baclitan garnered two golds from the 400m run and long jump and a bronze from the 200m run. The Bocce team of Mark Zandueta, Arvin Dagohoy, Bheng Ungria, and Sarah Mae Manaois capped another gold.

               Other special athletes who brought in bronze were March Gwyn Flores, James David Balles,Gillian Jose Alea, and Jeremiah Tundagui.

               The medals garnered from the demonstration sports and special games are not included in the final overall ranking.

               In a press conference last Wednesday, DepEd Regional Director Ellen B. Donato called on other provinces to improve their sports programs to ensure a better performance next year.

               Meanwhile, the National Capital Region, for eleven consecutive years, dominated this year’s Palarong Pambansa edition and came away with a staggering 98 gold, 67 silver, and 71 bronze medals.

               Region IV-A or Calabarzon came in second with a medal standing of 51-41-49. Region six or Western Visayas managed a 42-48-41 medal standing to come in third.                    

               It may be recalled that the region astounded and bested bigger regions last year with the fifth overall finish with 24-11-12 standing. – Georaloy I. Palao-ay