Another gold for Tayco in high jump

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Jasmin Tayco of Navitas (Numancia) Elementary School captured his second gold medal in the ongoing Dapitan Palarong Pambansa held from May 8 to 14 at Jose Rizal Memorial University Sports Complex yesterday.

Tayco ruled the high jump event in 1.50 meters to complete her two-gold, one-silver record harvest in elementary girls athletics. It was a sweet win for Tayco, who also ruled the long jump event Wednesday, to dominate the field of silver medal winner Alexa Kyle Lising of National Capital Region (1.45 meters) and Jean Pauline Oarde of Southern Tagalog (1.35 meters).

Tayco's effort of 1.50 meters was also a big improvement from last year's leapt of 1.40 meters set by Ruffa Antonio of Western Visayas in Tarlac Palarong Pambansa and the personal best of Danica Llagas of Southern Tagalog in Tacloban annual meet in 1.35 meters in 2009.

Anjelica de Josef of Malinao, Aklan registered 2:21.60 in elementary girls' 800 meters to capture the silver medal behind the golden finish of her barefoot Western Visayas teammate Joneza Mae Sustituedo, who clocked 2:21.48.

De Josef improved her personal best of 2:28.48 she set in the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Meet in Iloilo City last March. Johna Mayola of Ilocos Region got the bronze medal in 2:26.66.

In the elementary girls' 400 meter dash, De Josef crossed the line in 1:03.86 to place fifth. Mimaropa's bet Phebe Joy Sabanes ran a personal best of 1:00.79 to take the gold medal while Shaira Mae Caballero of Western Visayas turned in a time of 1:01.49 for the silver and Maria Paula Barredo of National Capital Region took the bronze with a time of 1:03.53.

Cyra Shane Casidsid of Aklan also landed at fourth place in elementary girls' 100 meter hurdles with a personal best of 17.95 seconds. National Capital Region bet Paula Mae Bardaja clocked 16.98 seconds to rule the event followed by Rhea Castellano of Western Visayas took the silver medal in 17.29 and Roxanne Narciso of Mimaropa got the bronze in 17.80 seconds.

As of yesterday, Aklan athletes hauled two golds - Tayco (elementary girls' high jump and long jump) and three silvers De Josef (elementary girls 800 meters), Tayco (100 meter dash) and Cyrene Joy Magbanua (secondary girls' long jump).