MATI CITY, Davao Oriental -- Davao City Durians arnisadors hauled a total of 14 gold medals, 21 silvers and 11 bronzes to place second overall in the Davao Regional Athletic Association Meet arnis competition at the Mati School of Arts and Trade covered court in the city, Thursday, March 23.
In the secondary boys, Palaro veteran June Floyd Zabala, Batang Pinoy 2016 gold medalist Jonathan Ryle Mata and Glennon John Malisa all booked tickets to the Palarong Pambansa 2017 after clinching a gold medal in the labanan (sparring) events.
Zabala ruled the half lightweight division while Mata and Malisa lorded over their rivals in the pinweight and feather weight divisions, respectively.
Teammates John Lloyd Cañon and Ramon Lee Jr. got bronzes.
Coach Niño Jay Bareña was thankful for their golden feats.
“Nung nag usap tayo (VoxPop sports reporter) sa quartering, sabi ko kahit maka three gold medals lang out of five athletes natin okay na kasi malakas naman talaga ang division nila (When we were talking in the quartering, I said even just 3 gold medals out of our five athletes its already fine since their division is really strong),” Bareña, who hopes to coach the champions in the Palaro, said.
In the distaff side, Shiela Mae Morales secured a gold in secondary girls half lightweight division and a silver silver in Anyo single weapon event.
Silvers were also won by Ivy Jean Andoyo (anyo single weapon), Eishen Angelica Borinaga (labanan bantam weight) and Eunice Matuguinas (labanan pin weight division, single weapon individual, single weapon synchronize).
Elementary girls, meanwhile, seized a total of nine golds behind Jollah Baruiz, Chrisxelyn Familiar and Marin Preslyn Odchigue who also annexed nine silvers in their division.
Baruiz led the medal race with one gold each in Anyo individual, team single weapon, team espanda y daga and mixed double weapon.
Baruiz also hauled two silvers in individual double weapon and team double weapon events.
She also bagged a silver in individual double weapon and team double weapon events.
Familiar and Odchigue, meanwhile, clinched one gold each in single weapon and team espada y daga. Familiar also axed a silver in individual espada y daga and team double weapon.
Odchuigue, however, also got one silver in team double weapon.
In elementary boys, Doland Apas captured the mixed double weapon gold and silvers in in team double weapon, team single weapon, individual double weapon and individual single weapon.
Juwen Ceasar Duco, for his part, grabbed the individual espada y daga gold on top of single weapon and team double weapon silvers.
Carlos Joaquin Macalolot added silvers in single weapon and double weapon events.