PSC/ ROTC Games:Navy cadets dominate swimming and athletics in day 3

Indang, Cavite—Navy cadets claimed nine golds in swimming and five in athletics as they surged to the top with already 22 in the third day action of the 2024 Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) National Championships at the Cavite State University-Main Campus here.

Swimmers Kirk Dominique Reyes and Kyla Janelle Chua of De La Salle-Taft settled with five golds apiece, including three each, on Wednesday to lead the Philippine Navy’s onslaught at the De La Salle Aquatic Center in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

Only Air Force cadet Phil Jabez Alejandro of PHILSCA-Fernando Air Base Campus, Lipa City, was able to break the Navy Cadets complete dominance following his victory in the men’s 200-meter freestyle in 2:20.23.

The 18-year-old Reyes added the men’s 100-meter butterfly (1:02.69) and the men’s 50-meter breaststroke (32.38- seconds) to his collection. He won three golds on Tuesday. Chua, also 18- years old, reigned supreme in the 50-meter breaststroke (40.30- seconds) and the women’s 100-meter butterfly (1:10.20 seconds). She also garnered three golds the other day.

Navy teammate Francine Shane Lugay also won three golds yesterday, the first in the women’s 200-m freestyle (2:33.43) and the 100-m backstroke (1:14.14), as well as the women's 200-m backstroke (2:51.14). Other winners for the Navy were Marvic Iguidez in the men's 100-meter backstroke (1:10.32) and 200-meter backstroke (2:40.35).

In athletics at the CvSU track oval, Guhan D. Garcia and Geremae Domalanta ruled the men’s and women’s 200-m dash respectively as the 20-year-old Garcia of Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation, Inc. in San Carlos City, Pangasinan outraced two Air Force cadets – Romeo de la Cruz Ojeno and Peter Mines Molina of West Visayas State University in Iloilo City in the last 10 meters to pocket the gold in 21.6 seconds. Both Ojeno and Molina finished just a split of a second behind, with identical 21.7 seconds.

“It was very closed; I was just ahead by a shoulder length. Talagang binuhos ko lahat ng energy ko sa huling metro,” said the second year Bachelor in Physical Education student Garcia, who brought home four gold medals, including the 200-meter dash, in the recent 2024 PRISAA National Championships in Legazpi City.

“Mas nahirapan ako dito sa ROTC Games kay sa PRISAA. Akala ko natatalo na ako, buti na lang naungusan ko pa sa huling metro. Salamat kay God. Hindi niya akong pinayagang matalo,” added Garcia of Malasiqui, Pangasinan.

On the other hand, the 19-year-old Domalanta, also a Navy cadet from the Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation, encountered similar tight opposition from Army cadet Janice Patou, also an Army cadet from Don Honorio Ventura State University in Bacolor, Pampanga.

The Bachelor's in Physical Education student crossed the finish line in 26.1 seconds, while Patou was just a short length behind with a time of 26.8 seconds. Army cadet Macaila Jane Requirme, the long jump queen, the other day, settled for the bronze in 27.3 seconds.”

Air Force cadet Romeo Gange Constancio of the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos likewise overcame the challenge of Army cadet Charles Fernando in the men’s long jump. The third-year criminology student, Constancio, leapt 6.57- meters to claim the gold.

Fernando of STI-West Negros University in Bacolod City settled with 6.55 meters for the silver, and the Army's Earl Constantino of Rizal Technological University-Boni Campus was third with 6.37 meters.

However, Army Cadets romped the two golds in the arnis competition after Crystal Jill Bowman of Cebu Normal University won the gold in the women’s Forms Non-Traditional Single Weapon while teammate Mark Julius Joring of the same school topped the arnis’ men’s non-traditional single weapon.

The inaugural staging of the Raiders Competition showed West Visayas State University-Lambunao Campus winning the crown. The 9-man crew of the Air Force bravely topped the five hardest challenges: tire flip, one rope bridge, 5km team run, and truck pushing to garner the highest record of 33.53 minutes.

Jenny Legario led the cast along with Mary Love Dongor, Anabella Faith Caro, Romnick Pregua, Karl Adrian Subaldo, John Kenneth Guilaran, Rogen Caspillo, John Salvaloza, and Christian Doney Casten to become the first champions of the annual games.

Bulacan Agricultural State College placed second for the Army, while Sibugay Technical Institute Inc. of the Army settled for third, and the Navy's Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific and Iloilo Science and Technology of the Army placed fourth, along with the Philippine State College of Aeronautics of the Air Force.

Mark Julius Joring of Cebu Normal University, topped the arnis men’s - non-traditional single weapon.

Geremae Domalanta ruling women’s 200-m dash.