UC, USC battle for top honors in Cesafi athletics event

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/sports/2015/08/22/uc-usc-battle-top-honors-cesafi-athletics-event-426125
• Saturday, August 22, 2015

By Richiel S. Chavez

POWERHOUSE schools University of Cebu (UC) and University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-Bed) bared their fangs in the athletics event of the 2015 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) as they fought for leadership in the first day of competitions yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

UC was leading the unofficial medal tally of the secondary girls division with four gold medals, one silver and six bronzes. USC, on the other hand, was lording it over in the boys division with a 5-3-3 gold-silver-bronze medal haul.

In the college division, UC led the men’s side with a 7-4-4 tally, while USC’s women’s team is leading with five golds, four silvers and two bronzes.

Melody Perez powered USC in the college action winning two gold medals after topping the handed two golds for USC's tertiary medal haul by winning in the women's 1,500-meter run in 5 minutes and six second and outsmarted Lovely Fe Andrin (5:17) and UC's Keisha Mae Delechos (5:26). Perez got her second gold in the 3,000m with a time of 11:02. Geneda Arcuino (11:20) placed second, while Delechos (11:51) was again at third place.

Jelena Joy Dagatan was UC's answer to Perez with two golds coming from the women's 400m hurdles and women's shot put. Dagatan clocked 1:12 in the 400m hurdles and won over Roneth Ayuda (1:14:24) of USC and Mary Joy Rosas (1:15) of University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F). Dagatan then dominated the women's discus throw with a 28.33m throw. Marivic Dalen (21.52m) of Cebu Doctor's University (CDU) placed second, while USC's Jaquilyn Gilbuela (20.85m) rounded up the top three.

Prince Joey Lee and Jerald Berengel chipped in two gold medals each for the UC men's medal tally. Lee topped the 3,000m steeplechase in 10:13 and emerged champion in the 10,000m race in 35:22, beating Arnel Florentino of USC-Bed in both events.

Berengel won the 110m hurdles in 17.01 and topped the 400m hurdles in 58:73. Joseph Camingao (17.64) of UC and Jose Lloyd Viray (19.39) of USP-F placed second and third in the 110m hurdles, while Mark Batiancila (1:00.47) of USP-F and Edward Adlawan (1:01.54) were the runners-up in the 400m hurdles.

In the secondary division, Mary Joy Loberanis took two gold medals for USC-Bed.

Loberanis of USC-Bed won the girls 1,500m and 3,000m. she finished the 1,500m in 5:07 and reigned over Lynle Cardenas (5:47) of USC-Bed and Catherine Angeli Yu (5:59) of Sacred Heart School- Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC). Loberanis topped the 3,000m event in 11:27 beating Lynle Cardenas (13:44) of USC-Bed and Gymnah Assyria Timkang (14:56) of UC were the runners-up.

The SHS-AdC leaned on Shanelle Demilys Siasoyco in first day. Siasoyco, a Palarong Pambansa gold medal winner topped the girls' shot put and discus throw.

She threw 9.26m in the shotput and had a 27.22m throw in the in the discus throw. She beat USC's Jan Allyson Pajantoy and Kim Obuta in both two events.

UC's Elyzza Mae Salinas won in the girls' 100m and 400m hurdles, she had a time of 15.81 in the 100m and 1:15.17 in the 400m beating Brittney Moira Cañete (16.28) of SHS-AdC and Gleizl Faith Pelayre (18.55) in the 100m and outlasted Pearl Angeline Abellar (1:16) of SHS-AdC and Josie Inemedo (1:21) of UC in the 400m event.

The action continues today with events in boys' and girls' 100m, 800m, 4x100m relay, javelin throw, triple jump, long jump and 5,000m boys. The tertiary division will have men's and women' 100m, 800m, 5,000m, 5K walk women, 10K walk men, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay javelin throw, triple jump and long jump.