SUMMARY
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ANTIQUE, Philiippines – The official first day of competition of the 60th Palarong Pambansa 2017 on Monday, April 24, was ushered in by a new record from an athlete of no less than the host region, the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association (WVRAA).
Palaro first-timer James Lozañez of Iloilo posted a new record in the javelin throw in the secondary boys division held at the Binirayan Sports Complex. Shunning the spike shoes and opting to compete in his rubber shoes as he believes that the spike shoes slows him down, Lozañez achieved the new record of 59.46 meters in his third attempt.
The 17-year-old Lozañez broke the record of 57.81 meters posted by Bryan Jay Pacheco of Central Luzon in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.
Lozañez prevented the host region WVRAA from having a medal shutout on the first day of competition as perennial champion National Capital Regional Athletic Association (NCRAA) is once again poised to reign supreme with a medal haul of 19 gold medals, 13 silvers and 6 bronze medals, as of 8 pm Monday. (READ: Silver, bronze medalists in Palarong Pambansa 2017 to get more incentives)
In 2016, NCRAA won its 12th straight overall Palarong Pambansa crown.
Trailing at far second is the Negros Island Regional Athletic Association (NIRAA) with a medal count of 4-1-2 while at current third place is Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVRAA) with a medal tally of 3-1-3.
The NIRAA saw action in this annual sporting event for its second year joining the Palarong Pambansa.
Other regions which bagged gold medals are Bicol Regional Athletic Association, Southern Tagalog Calabarzon Regional Athletic Association, Western Visayas Athletic Association, and Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association.
Poised to win
The bulk of NCRAA’s gold medals is bagged by its elementary athletes with 9 while the rest were contributed by its secondary athletes. Also, all except one of the region’s gilt is contributed by its gymnasts. While NCRAA ended the first day of athletics competition with a lone gold from Rainier Paul Caranto in the elementary boys high jump.
NCRAA’s medal haul in gymnastics was led by Karl Jahrel Eldrew Yulo with 4 and Divina Sembrano with 2. The rest were handed in by Joseph Reynaldo, Breanna Labadan and Jhon Romeo Santillan. (READ: NCR Sepak Takraw team aims for 3-peat at Palarong Pambansa 2017)
NCRAA also ran away with 4 golds in the gymnastics team competition.
The NCRAA is expected to pile up on the gold medals with the swimming competition to kickoff on Tuesday, April 25. The region topped in 2016’s swimming competition by bagging 25 of the 30 gold medals up for grabs.
The gymnastics competition will end Tuesday, April 25. The event started early along with basketball and football even before the opening ceremonies last Sunday.
Action in the rest of the sporting events will continue with some of the individual events to already hold finals while the team events will continue with the eliminations. – Rappler.com
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