Cebu’s Manayon Wins Triathlon Gold in Batang Pinoy

Karen Andrea Manayon of Cebu province won the gold medal in the girls 13-15 category of the triathlon competition in the ongoing 2016 Batang Pinoy National Finals at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex (DNSTC) in Barangay Mankilam, Tagum City.

Manayon, a Grade 8 student at the Talisay City Science High School, completed the 400m swim, 12km-bike and 3km run in 40 minutes and 16 seconds.

Everly Janirie Macalalad clocked 20:20 for the silver while Nicole Danielle Eijansantos got the bronze with a time of 40:49.

“Masaya ako dahil at least nakamit ko na sa wakas ang asam ko na manalo ng gold medal dito sa Batang Pinoy. (I’m so happy because I finally earned a gold medal here in Batang Pinoy.) I practiced hard for this competition pero ngayon nawala ang lahat ng pagod ko dahil nanalo na ako (all my efforts have paid off because I won),” said Manayon, who finished 10th last year in this competition held in Cebu City.

“Gusto ko sana makasali sa (I want to join the) Southeast Asian Games in the future. It’s my dream to be in the national team,” added the 14-year-old Manayon, who placed fourth in the same category during the Subic Bay International Triathlon last April.

In the boys’ 13-15 category, Juan Francisco Baniqued of San Pedro, Laguna won the gold medal with a time of 37:08.

In the 11-12 category (200m-swim, 4km-bike and 1m-run), Zedrick James Borja of San Pedro, Laguna clocked 22:21 to win the boys’ division while Moira Frances Gabrielle Erediano of Cebu province won the girls division in 24:19.

In cycling, Davao City won five golds in the mountain bike event while Jemuelle James Espiritu of Baguio City and Neo-Jene Daciego of La Union bagged two gold medals each in the archery competitions.

Winners in athletics were Raymund Lopez of Agusan del Sur (boys 5,000-meter run), Trixia de la Torre (girls long jump), Jil Iron Tabuena of Numancia, Aklan (boys shot put), Francis James San Gabriel of Pangasinan (boys 2,000-meter walk) and Rose Bok of Naga City (girls 2,000-meter walk).

In archery, Jemuelle James Espiritu of Baguio City captured two gold medals after winning the 20-meter yeoman boys Olympic round and qualification round.

Neo-Jene Daciego, on the other hand, dominated the 20-meter yeoman girls qualification round and Olympic round.Other winners were Jeremiah Adrian Basadre of Koronadal (30-meter bowman boys Olympic round), Danielle Jasmine Espiritu of Baguio City (30-meter bowman girls Olympic round), Vynes Jade Diano of South Cotabato (30-meter bowman girls qualification round) and John Carlo Margarito Loreno (30-meter bowman boys qualification round). (PNA)CVL/JEAN T. MALANUM/EDS