CEBU CITY — National athlete Aries Toledo lived up to expectation, winning the gold medal in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in the ongoing Philippine National Games at the Cebu Sports Complex oval here.
The 24-year-old Toledo, a native of Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija, clocked 14.52 seconds to prevail over Patrick Unso, who took the silver in 14.56 seconds while Micael Mana-ay of Negros Occidental bagged the bronze medal with a time of 15.47 seconds.
Toledo, the defending Southeast Asian Games decathlete champion, however, settled for the silver medal in the long jump event when he registered 7.50 meters.
Juliam Reem Fuentes, also from the national team, won the gold in 7.56 meters, while Jose Jerry Belibestre of Negros Occidental secured the bronze in 7.35 meters.
Two more national team members dominated their respective events in the tournament organized by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Immuel Camino from Cagayan de Oro finished the men’s 3,000-meters steeplechase in 9 minutes and 59.91 seconds to win the gold medal over Arnel Florentino of Cebu City (10:48.91) and Harold Kim Guiao of Lapu Lapu City (11:02.58).
Anferne Lapena, 24, from Bohol’s capital city of Tagbilaran, dominated the junior boys 100-meters event in 12.85 seconds. The silver medal went to Baguio City’s Rudylyn Fernandez (13.47 seconds) and Cebu City’s Jelly Mae Paredes (13.46 seconds).
Host Cebu City managed to win two golds courtesy of Joselou Rebalde in the women’s 100-meters run and Ronette Ayuda in the women’s high jump.
Rebalde finished the race in 12.85 seconds to claim the gold while Ayuda topped the event in 1.50 meters.
In swimming, General Santos City won two gold medals coming from Nino Owen Camilo La Torre and Kelsey Claire Jaudian.
La Torre ruled the boys’ 16 over 400-meters Individual Medley in 5:08.81 while La Union’s Antonio Aquino IV (5:13.93) was second and Iligan City’s Nicolai Chiong (5:16.73) was third.
In the girls’ 16 over 400-meters IM category, Jaudian clocked 5:37.46, beating La Union’s Precilla Aquino (5:44.31) and Cebu City’s Karen Mae Indaya (5:52.20).
The other medalists in swimming were Davao City’s Samuel John Alcos (boys’ 16 over 50-meters breaststroke), Bohol’s Charyllyn Allysa Romanos (girls’ 16 over 50-meters breaststroke), Koronadal City’s Lean Ysidore Dagum (boys’ 16 over 100-meters butterfly) and Kevin Troy Dagum (boys’ 16 over 200-meters backstroke), Tacloban City’s Jorie May Amistoso (girls’ 16 over 100-meters butterfly) and Cebu City’s Karen Mae Indaya (girls’ 16 over 200-meters backstroke.