
CamSur bet captures first Batang Pinoy gold

BAGUIO CITY -- Mary Grace Joson of Camarines Sur triumphed in the girls’ track and field and Mikaela Jasmine Mojdeh of Paranaque shone in swimming as hostilities in the 2018 Batang Pinoy National Championship went into full blast at the Baguio Athletic Bowl here Monday.
Joson, a 15-year-old Grade 9 student of Camarines Sur Sports Academy, posted 26.87 meters to capture the gold in the girls discus throw and earn the distinction as the first-ever gold medalist in the week-long event being held in this scenic mountain resort city still recovering from the onslaught of super typhoon Ompong.
“Masaya po ako sa panalo kong ito. Alay ko ito sa pamilya ko, lalo na sa mama at pati na sa aking papa, na hindi ko pa nakikita mula ng ako ay ipinanganak,” said Joson, one of two children of an engineer working in United Arab Emirates.
“Hiwalay po sila kaya hindi ko pa nakikita papa ko,” explained Joson, who also surpassed her bronze-medal finish Batang Pinoy Luzon qualifying leg in Vigan last October.
Joson is also scheduled to see action in javelin and shot put events.
Jamine Ledina of Zambales and Althea Guadalupe of General Santos City finished second and third, respectively.
Ledina had 26.64m while Guadalupe had 26.54m.
Sharing the limelight was Mojdeh, who clocked 1:05.92 in winning the girls 100m butterfly over Jaye Dignadice of Puerto Princesa City ( 1:12.16) and Chloe Sophia Laurenre of Ormpc City (1:12.34).
“Ito po ang unang Batang Pinoy ko tapos nanalo agad kaya masaya po ako ngayon,” said Mojdeh, a Grade 7 student of Inmaculate Heart of Mary College-Paranaque.
The 12-year-old Mojdeh dedicated the triumph to her coach-adviser, Susan Papa.
Before coming to Baguio, Mojdeh is fresh from bagging four gold medals in 200 IM, 100m free, 50m free and 50m freestyle during the Singapore Open in Singapore recently.
Her next tournament is the Buccaneers Invitationals in Tokyo, Japan.
Swimming also produced double gold medalists in Roz Ciaralene Encarnacion of Laguna Province and Althea Michel Baluyot of Quezon City in the girls division; and Markus Johannees De Kam and Mervien Jules Mirandilla of L6xena in the category.
Encarnacion swept the golds in the girls 12-under 200-meter individual medley in two minutes and 40.97 seconds and girls 12-under 50m breaststroke in 37.33 seconds.
The 13-year-old student from Alaminos Integrated National High School is scheduled to compete in three more events -- the 100m and 200m breastroke and 200m freestyle
Baluyot dominated the girls 13-15 100m frees in 1:01.16) and 100m fly in 1:06.98.
Lucena struck on victories by De Kam, who topped the boys 12-under 100m freestyle (59.11sec) and the 50m backstroke (32.27sec); and Mirandilla, who ruled the boys 13-15 100m free (58.38sec) and 100m butterfly.