Distance runner Chrishia Mae Tajarros of Eastern Visayas couldn’t control her emotions after crossing the finish line in the women’s 3000-meter event Monday of the 65th Palarong Pambansa.

Tajarros, 13, went to her coach Damaso Oledan Jr. and cried tears of joy at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag City in Ilocos Norte as she won the first gold medal in this year’s grassroots tournament supported by the Department of Education and the Philippine Sports Commission after clocking in 10 minutes and 18.6 seconds.

Mary Mae Magbanua of Caraga settled for silver with a time of 10:48.4 while Nathalie Faye Miguel of the Ilocos Region placed third with 10:50.4.

Tajarros, the daughter of a housewife and a fish vendor, admitted she almost didn’t make it to this year’s Palaro due to muscle pain.

“Everything was worth it because I was suffering from muscle pain too many times. I didn’t even think that I would even make it to the Palaro after feeling a lot of muscle pain in the regionals,” Tajarros said.

“I wanted to give up but coach urged me not to.”

What made this victory sweeter was that Tajarros, an incoming Grade 9 student at Tanauan National High School in Leyte, redeemed herself from her silver medal finish from last year’s Palaro in Cebu City.

Tajarros is also aiming for a second gold medal as she competes in the secondary girls 1500m event on Thursday.

But her main goal?

Making it to the Olympics.

“I want to get into the Olympics to help support my family. I dream of making it to the Olympics one day,” Tajarros said.

More rising stars emerged victorious on the first day of this year’s Palaro.

Courney Jewel Trianga of the Bicol Region won the secondary girls discus throw after tallying 36.72m, while Efosa John Paul Aguinaldo of Eastern Visayas dominated the secondary boys long jump with a 6.90m effort.

Over at weightlifting, Matthew Diaz of CALABARZON, the nephew of Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, won the gold in the secondary boys 48-kilogram category after lifting 73kgs in the snatch and 93kgs in the clean-and-jerk for a total lift of 166kgs.

In the secondary girls 40kg event, Amor Gantalao of the Zamboanga Peninsula pocketed the gold after doing 52kg in the snatch, 61kg in the clean-and-jerk for a total lift of 113kgs.

As of 5 p.m., Eastern Visayas is on top of the overall medal tally with two gold medals while CALABARZON is in second with a 1-1-0 gold-silver-bronze medal tally.

Northern Mindanao is in third place in the overall medal tally with one gold and one bronze medal.

At press time, the swimming events are ongoing along with the afternoon session in athletics.

The second day of the Palaro starts at 6 a.m. with secondary boys 5000m event, elementary girls triple jump, and elementary boys javelin throw.