GenSan’s La Torre pockets 4th gold in PH nat’l games

Camilo Russel Owen La Torre won the boys’ 16 and over 400-meters freestyle event to give General Santos City its seventh gold medal in the tournament organized by the Philippine Sports Commission. (PNA photo)

CEBU CITY — General Santos City pocketed two more gold medals on Tuesday to stay on top of the swimming medal board in the ongoing Philippine National Games at the Cebu Center Sports Center pool here.

Camilo Russel Owen La Torre won the boys’ 16 and over 400-meters freestyle event to give General Santos City its seventh gold medal in the tournament organized by the Philippine Sports Commission.

La Torre clocked 4:28.49 to beat Iligan City’s Nicolai Chiong (4:45.00) and Naga City’s Enrique Seva (4:52.39).

La Torre now has a total of four gold medals, including his victories in the 100-meters freestyle, 1,500-meters freestyle and 400-meters individual medley events.

General Santos City’s other gold medals were delivered by Kelsey Claire Jaudian, who dominated the girls 400-meters freestyle, 400-meters individual medley and 800-meters freestyle events.

Sta. Rosa City ranked second with four gold medals, all coming from Nicole Meah Pamintuan, an incoming Grade 12 student at De La Salle University.

Pamintuan, who competed in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, ruled the girls’ 16 and over 100-meters backstroke event in 1:09.81.

General Santos City’s Andrea Marie Punay took the silver medal in 1:21.70 while Iligan City’s Miles Dorothy Valdez won the bronze in 1:23.68.

Pamintuan also topped the 50-meters backstroke, 100-meters freestyle and 200-meters individual medley events.

Host Cebu City, Koronadal City and Las Pinas City have won three gold medals each.

Cebu City got the gold in the girls 4×100 meters relay team of Karen Mae Indaya, Justine Reign Garrido, Razel Cabajar and Micah Marie Dela Cerna; Karen Mae Indaya (200-meters backstroke) and Razel Cabajar (50-meters butterfly).

Koronadal City’s gold winners were Lean Ysidore Dagum (boys’ 100-meters backstroke and 100-meters butterfly) and Kevin Tryo Dagum (boys’ 200-meters backstroke), while Las Piñas City’s golds were courtesy of David Franco Dela Rosa (boys’ 50-meters butterfly, 50-meters backstroke and 200-meters individual medley).

Iligan City’s two golds came from the girls’ 4×50 meters freestyle relay (Kristin Uy Austria, Alexandra Cortes, Cherry Mae Sanche and Miles Dorothy Valdez) and the boys’ 4×100 meters relay (Nicolai Chiong, Lee Gabriel Escalante, Jose Andre Rillera and Darren Daniel Villarta).

Samuel John Alcos gave Davao City two gold medals when he ruled the boys’ 50-meters and 200-meters breaststroke events.

The other gold medalists were Bohol’s Charllyn Allysa Romanos (girls’ 50-meters breaststroke), Tacloban City’s Jorie May Amistoso (girls’ 100-meters butterfly) and Zamboanga City’s boys’ 4×50 meters freestyle relay (Jonel Ventura, Idha Warfah Bangahan, Dither Atayde and Glenn Arsula).