Baguio City athletes reigned supreme as they made the city the overall champion in the Batang Pinoy National Championships in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur with 31 gold, 30 silver, and 39 bronze medals.
Baguio’s 100 medal haul was not even equaled by second placer Pasig that amassed 22 gold, 12 silver and 14 bronze, or a total of 48 medals.
Quezon City came in third place with 21-10-15 medal haul followed by Laguna with a 20-16-15 me-dal haul.
Completing the top five local government unit medal fi-nisher is Iloilo with 17 gold, 14 silver, and 15 bronze medals.
City Sports Division Chief Gudz Gonzales commended the 220-strong city delegation for retaining the overall title in the Batang Pinoy national finals that saw the participation of out-of-school youth athletes.
Archer Jathniel Caleb Fernandez of Baguio delegation, shot his way to a six-gold medal effort to emerge the best performer in the BP National Championships 2022.
Fernandez, a third grader of Baguio Pines Family Learning Center, was unstoppable in all fronts, as he ruled the 10 meters, 15m, 20m, 30m, 30m FITA, and Olympic rounds.
Another archer, Chass Mhaiven Colas contributed three more gold medals for Baguio while the Ngina siblings added three golds in Muay Thai.
Edel Ali Ngina bagged gold medals each in waikru and shadowbox while Lyre Anie Ngina won a gold medal in shadowbox 11-year-old female category.
Taekwondo jins also contributed to the gold medal haul.
Arnisadores and judokas also brought home silver and bronze medals for the city.
Benguet which is the second LGU in the Cordillera to send a delegation won one gold and two bronze medals.
The BP National Championships is undertaken by the LGUs, the Department of Education, and the Philippine Sports Commission. – Harley F. Palangchao
