Sports: Olympic-Bound Scholar Diesto Snatches Gold in Long Jump at PNG
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental - Mary Anthony Diesto proved herself capable of being part of the RP London Olympic Games sports scholar after snatching the gold medal in the girl’s long jump event in the 2012 POC-PSC National Games held at Perdices Sports Stadium here yesterday.
The fourteen year-old second year high school student of Bacolod Tay Tung High School jumped to a distance of 5.23 meters to improve her silver medal jump of 5.09 meters in the last Palarong Pambansa held in Lingayen, Pangasinan which was ruled by NCR’s Yra Perlita Inot (5.32 meters) . She even upset the members of developmental pool under Coach Maristela Torres in the person of Felyn Dolloso, another former Western Visayas athlete, who jumped 5.02 meters.
Diesto is one of the 11 Filipino athletes who will be sent to the London Olympics as sports scholar for topping last year’s Batang Pinoy.
Diesto said she was challenged by the members under the training pool and she did her best to wrap up the gold medal in her last jump.
She also led her team to win the silver medal in the 4 X 100 relay and another personal silver medal for placing second in girl’s triple jump and bronze medal in the 100 meters.
Bacolod Tay Tung High School sports coordinator Victor Go said they are not pushing hard their athletes and follow the training program based on their ages to avoid sustaining injuries in the course of their training. Their peak will certainly come when they are already at third year and fourth year high schools.
Meanwhile, Binalbagan-born John Baylon her favorite event was judo 90 kilograms as his last hurrah as an athlete and decided to retire to concentrate on coaching. The "ageless warrior" has won nine gold medals successively in SEA Games. He represents Zamboanga City in all his events and said he participated in this PNG to show to the upcoming athlete of his ability and strength to be the model of the youth, according to Philippine Amateur Judo Association president David Carter.
Jigoro De Castro of Muntinlupa won the gold in men’s +100kg; Prince Lledo of UP in men’s -100kg; Riza Tacay in women’s -45kg; Nancy Quillotes in women’s -48kg and Helen Dawa in women’s -52kg.
In karatedo Kumite event; Ramon Franco Jr., dominated the men’s 55kg; Grace Ripalda in female 50kg; Jason Macaalay in the male 60kg; Mary Antoinette Ailes in female 55kg; Rexor Tacay in male 67kg and Randolf Maranggun in male 75kg. Michelle Villamayor in male 68 kg and men at women’s kumite, while Shakif Afif of Zamboanga in male +84kg; Engene Dagohoy in male 84kg; Joanna Marie Ylanan of Ask Tacloban in female +68kg; Princess Sycangco in female 61kg; Sharie Duellosa in special event and Bern Tacay in Open weight.
In archery women recurve open won by Marie Crizabelle Merton of Dumaguete after she collected 647 points, followed by Edwina Delos Reyes of NCR with 614 points and Rachel Ann Dela Cruz with 599.
In the Men’s compound open, Earl Benjamin Yap of NCR won the gold with 683 points , Delfin Adriano with 673 points and Rosendo Sombreo of Cebu with 665 points.*
