By Edwin Rollon
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- Philippine Team A captured five gold medals in swimming at the start of the 11th Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asia Growth Areas (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games on Monday at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex here.
Philip Adrian Sahagun will be remembered in the Games history book as the first gold medal winner in the biennial meet, which returned after a six-year hiatus due to the pandemic. He won the boys' 200m Individual Medley with a time of 2:13.52.
He beat Indonesian rival Hidayatullah Aril from South Sulawesi and teammate Rodolfo Paolo III clocking 2:13.83 and 2:20.82, respectively.
“I didn’t expect to win, kasi two weeks ago kakagaling ko lang ng UAAP and I didn’t have [enough] time to prepare for this kasi gusto ko rin po makapag-hinga. One week po ako walang training at all,” said the 21-year-old La Salle student taking up Entrepreneur course.
In the distaff, Lora Micah Amoguis overwhelmed her opponents, clocking 2:30.73. Team Philippines D bet Maglia Jaye Dignadice settled for silver at 2:38.01, while Allen Joy Santos of Philippine Ream A finished third at 2:42.45.
Amoguis, a BS Life Sciences freshman, despite nursing shoulder steepness, stressed her dedication to put up a stellar performance to boost her six-event campaign here. “I’m glad nakuha ko yung first gold ko, ito ang favorite event ko, and I dedicated this to all, for the country ito,” said Amoguis.
John Michael Catamco extends Philippine Team A dominance for the day, winning the boys' 50m butterfly clocking 28.14 seconds, beating Philippine Team D Lance Gabriel Romero (28.44) and Indonesian Naufal Saputra Muhammad (28.59).
June Pearl Dagano and Maglia Jaye Dignadice of Team Philippines D shared the limelight, capturing the gold medal in the girls' 100m freestyle (1:04.59) and 50m butterfly (30.47), respectively, hiking the gold medal hauled of Filipinos to five. Dagano beat compatriots Philippines Team A teammates Mira Claire Catayas (1:07.83) and Gwen Stefani Pansit (1:09.98), while Dignadice won over Philippine Ream A teammates Stacy Brenice Requiza (31.60) and Cassiopeia Sartiga (33.22).
Team Malaysia A Shawn Voon Xuan Qing spoiled a sweep by the local swimmers, winning the boys' 100m freestyle (54.76) against Philippine Team A Jihn Michael Caramco (56.24) and Pietro Dominic Requiza (57.34).
Over at the Ramon Mitra track oval, Malaysian Jimil Daniella claimed the gold in women’s shot put, throwing the iron ball at 10.25 meters beating Philippines Aliia Tricia Mae Badajos (9.53m) and Jerlyn Grace Crismundo (9.25m), while Team Philippines swept the men’s discuss throw events with Bernard Ganancial taking the gold at 33.95m against Jhonmark Sedoripa (33.14m) and Lunasco Alabado (32.58).
