Lora Micah (left) and Liaa Margarette Amoguis of Davao City cool down after dominating their respective events in the swimming competition of the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

TAGUM CITY – They swim together, they win together.

Sisters Liaa Margarette and Lora Micah Amoguis stole the show when they dominated the swimming competition of the 2019 Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg Wednesday at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex here.

The younger Liaa shone in the girls’ 12-under 100-meter butterfly and 200m individual medley while Lora made waves in the girls’ 13-15 200m individual medley to jack up Davao City’s medal haul in this prestigious age-group tourney for young athletes 15-years old and below.

Liaa registered one minute and 11.2 seconds to grab the gold in the 100m butterfly before storming back to rule the 200m individual medley with a clocking of 2:39, a fitting follow up to her golden haul of six mints in the Davao Regional Athletic Association last week.

Liaa still has a chance to match that feat as she sees action in four more events in the next couple of days of this tourney organized by the Philippine Sports Commission and Province of Davao del Norte.

Lora, on the other hand, clocked 2:35.06 to clinch the mint in the 200m individual medley before settling for silver medal with a time of 33.97 seconds in the girls’ 13-15 50m backstroke.

Gene Heart Quiambao of Bukidnon beat her for the gold with 33.69 seconds.

Still, the performance was the fruit of their sacrifices, perseverance and, of course, never-ending support for each other.

“We motivate each other. When she feels down, I motivate her. When I feel down, she motivates me as well. That’s how close we are,” said Lora, the 13-year old daughter of a surgeon and diabetes doctor.

“I’m excited to play in the national finals and race against other swimmers. Even though there are other swimmers from other regions, my goal is not to win medals. I just want to beat my time. That’s it.”

Liaa, for her part, is looking to scale a higher mountain.

“My dream is to beat the Palarong Pambansa record,” said the 11-year old Liaa, who already represented the country in the recent BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games in Brunei.

In archery, 15-year-old John Carlo Loreno harvested five gold medals for Koronadal City with victories in the cadet boys 30-meter, 40m, 50m, 60m and single FITA events.

“I hope to win more,” said Loreno, who is in his third Batang Pinoy appearance.

Precious Micah Basadre also shared the podium with victories in the cadet girls 30m, 40m, 50m and single FITA while younger brother Jeremiah Adrian ruled the cub boys 20m, 30m, 50m and single FITA.

Youngest sibling Justin Matthew reigned supreme in the bowman boys Olympic round and single FITA.

In cadet boys taekwondo, Cagayan De Oro City snared three gold medals courtesy of Lee Young Hwan (welterweight), Carlos Pizana (heavy) and Von Xedric Faller (fin).

Kier Carlos Buico (middle) and Carl Andrew Cagas (light) won two golds for Butuan City while Davao City also went home with two golds from John Louis Zaballero (bantam) and Arnold Alesna (feather).

In arnis, Tacurong City harvested 13 gold medals at the City Mall in Tagum courtesy of Maria Veronica Ilagan (cadet girls traditional individual 1 weapon), Althea Charmene Delos Santos (cadet girls traditional individual 2 weapons and non-traditional individual 1 weapon), Jeko Jan Heyres (junior boys traditional individual 1 weapon), Princes Sheryl Valdez (junior girls traditional individual 2 weapons and non-traditional individual 1 weapon), and Cristian Dave Bucio (junior boys non-traditional individual 2 weapon).

Also delivering for Tacurong were the teams of Andrei Alcarato, Jeko Jann Heyres and Jan Vincent Monserat (junior boys traditional team open weapon); Shena May Valdez, Joana Marie Julaya and Sthepane Mones (junior girls traditional team open weapon and non-traditional team open weapon); and Cristian Dave Bucio, Miguel Clavation and Samuel Clavation (junior boys traditional team open weapon).