By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Rhianne Gabrielle Gonzales of Bacolod City made her hometown proud after capturing the gold medal in the 50-meter breaststroke event for the 16-17 girls’ division in the Batang Pinoy 2025 in General Santos City.

Displaying both speed and composure in the pool, Gonzales powered through a strong field of young swimmers to touch the wall first and secure the top podium finish.

Her golden effort highlighted Bacolod’s strong presence in this year’s national youth sports showcase, which gathers the country’s finest up-and-coming athletes from various regions.

The Bacolod-native swimmer’s victory is seen as a culmination of years of discipline and dedication.

The victory adds to Bacolod City’s medal haul in the Batang Pinoy 2025 National Games, reinforcing its reputation as one of the country’s breeding grounds for swimming talent./ASC, WDJ