Negrenses pick up early gold medals

By Adrian Stewart Co

Negros Occidental student-athletes picked up early gold medals in the ongoing 2019 Visayas qualifying leg, which kicked off over the weekend in Iloilo City.

Elyka Salmorin picked up the province’s first gold of this year’s competition in the girls’ 2000-meter walk event.

Negrense athletes also scored several gold medals in swimming including Alexi Cabayaran in girls’ 13-15 backstroke and 13-15 freestyle, Jay-R Punzalan in the boys’ 13-15 backstroke, Karla Labayen in the 13-and-under 800-meter freestyle, and Troy Castor in the 12-and-under 100-meter freestyle.

In athletics, Kate Julienne Martinez took gold in shot put and Franzine Alamo in girls’ triple jump.

Meanwhile, silver medals were also earned by Negrense athletes including Raynart Torre in boys’ long jump, Julianne Sevilla in girls’ 13-and-under 800-meter freestyle swimming, and Renji de Miguel in boys’ 13-and-under 1500-meter freestyle swimming.

Bronze medal winners include Gabriel Villanueva in the boys’ discus throw, Vanessa Anne Pranisa in high jump, Airu Jor in boys’ long jump, Vanessa Jane Dalisay in girls’ triple jump, and Castor in 50-meter backstroke swimming./ASC, WDJ