Second to none

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — The National Capital Region (NCR) will run away with its 18th straight overall title after drawing premium performances in swimming and volleyball on the final day of the 65th Palarong Pambansa on Friday.

With 99 golds, 65 silvers, and 41 bronze medals as of 4:33 p.m., the Big City is already miles ahead of its closest pursuers. Only the final tally is being awaited before NCR caps another show of force.

Leading the charge for NCR this year are swimmers Sophia Garra and Titus Sia as they wound up the most bemedaled athletes with seven gold medals each.

The 12-year-old Garra won in the girls 7 to 12 50-meter freestyle, 100m freestyle, and 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 200m individual medley, 4x50 freestyle relay and the 4x50 medley relay.

Garra also set new meet records in the 200m freestyle with two minutes and 17.72 seconds and in the 100m backstroke with 1:07.61.

The 12-year-old tanker from De La Salle University-Araneta admitted that she wanted to break new records but is satisfied with the results she had.

“I’m happy to get all seven gold medals in this year’s Palaro even though I wasn’t able to break all the records I’m aiming for,” Garra said.

Meanwhile, the 12-year-old Sia won the boys 7 to 12 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 4 x 50m medley relay, 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 50m backstroke, and the 4 x 50 m freestyle relay.

Coming off from a lone bronze medal finish last year in Cebu City, the Xavier School tanker focused on refining his skills while sticking to the same regimen from last year.

“That’s the only mindset I have from last year to continue my training,” Sia said.

“My ultimate dream is to become an Olympian and my loved ones inspired me to be back here, and gained recognition from the elite swimmers here.”

Sia also set records in the 200m freestyle with 2:07.86, 100m backstroke with 1:05.44, and in the 400m freestyle event with 4:31.39.

Over at the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, the Big City, backed by University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 girls champion National University-Nazareth School (NUNS) reclaimed the secondary girls volleyball crown from Western Visayas, 25-12, 25-14, 25-8.

Former Adamson University star Sam Cantada fired 13 points as the NUNS reclaimed the crown it last won in the 2019 Palaro in Davao City.

Over at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, NCR dominated the secondary girls basketball final after a 78-42 win over Davao Region.

In the secondary boys basketball, Davao clinched its first-ever Palaro cage crown after a 67-51 win over Western Visayas at the same venue.

In the overall medal tally, CALABARZON currently sits in second place with a 39-59-55 gold-silver-medal tally while the Davao Region is closing in with a 36-22-33 medal tally.