Sports: 2012 Palarong Pambansa WV Athletes Settle for Gold, Silver in Triple Jump

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Western Visayas London-bound Mary Anthony Diesto settled for silver medal in the secondary girl’s triple jump dominated by veteran Yra Perlita Inot of the National Capital Region (NCR), while Pia Angelica Parcino ruled the elementary side for the gold in the only two final events contested yesterday in the ongoing 2012 Palarong Pambansa at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.

Diesto, 14, a 2nd year high school of Bacolod Tay Tung High School jumped to 5.09 meters behind Inot’s 5.32 meters for the gold. Inot ruled the same event in Dapitan City Palaro in 2011 with a jumped of 5.30 meters, while Diesto did not fared well on her first year in secondary division.

Diesto (4.60 meters) placed second behind teammate Alyssa Marie Andrade (5.07) who erased the Palaro elementary long jump record set by Southern Mindanao Angelia Cabreros (4.99) established in 2000 Negros Occidental Palaro.

Diesto and Andrade took the gold and silver medals when they erased the existing Palaro record in elementary triple jump established by Irin Balauran (10.42 meters) of Central Visayas in 2005 Palaro to register a new record in 2010 Tarlac Palaro (10.80 and 10.54 meters, respectively ). Both, however, did not fare well in 2011 Dapitan Palaro with Diesto (10.66) placing 8th overall topped by Region 4-a Michelle Palmares with 11.62 meters.

"Her silver feat is far beyond her performance, said Victor Go, sports director of BTTHS. She is still peaking and we don’t push here to avoid injury and break the coordination of her muscles."

Inot have been in the event for so long and is the incoming college freshman. Go added, when Diesto reach her peak, not one can beat her.

Diesto, a multi-awarded athlete in the Philippine National Games, Batang Pinoy who also had a stint in the Chines Schools Invitational track and field competition abroad, like the Taiwan and China Invitational, is one of the two Negrense athletes and among the eleven chosen Philippine Sports Commission and Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation to attend a two-week summer workshop in London given as scholarship grant by the British Council of the Philippines and the British Embassy in Manila and will train at St. Bede’s International School in London for their attendance in 2012 London Games.

The other athlete is taekwon-do jin Therese Bermejo of Trinity Christian School also in Bacolod City.

It was a 1-2 finish for WV as Pia Angelica Parcino (10.31 meters) and Ailyn Tumbali (9.96) dominated the elementary girl’s triple jump ahead of NCR’s Patrichio Hernandez who jumped to 9.91 meters.

Lorenzo Capajo, Renz John Gemolaga and Ronald Lacson gifted WV for bronze medals in their respective events in athletics yesterday.

Capajo took the bronze (13.45 meters) in secondary boy’s triple jump ruled by CALABARZON John Michael Lanuza (13.84) for the gold and Cagayan Valley Julian Reem Fuentes (13.54) for silver.

Gemolaga in the secondary boy’s javelin throw (51.24 meters) behind Danilo Abarra of Ilocos Region (51.51 meters) for the gold and Bicol’s’ Bryan Jay Pacheco (51.44)for silver.

Lacson settled for bronze (24.54) in elementary boy’s discus throw ruled by Bicol’s John Roel Sariola (28.39) for the gold and CALABARZON Gideon Arellano (27.01) for silver medal.*