PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan -- Swimmers Anton Paulo Della of San Fernando, La Union and Albert Jose Amaro II of Naga City made waves by posting new meet records, while Masbate City’s Courtney Jewel Trangia clinched the first gold medal at stake in the 2024 Batang Pinoy Championships at the RVM Sports Complex here.

Della, a 16-year-old Palarong Pambansa standout, clocked 2 minutes and 15.58 seconds to rule the boys 16-17 200-meter individual medley and eclipse the one-year-old meet mark of 2:16.66 set by Lucena’s Peter Cyrus Dean.

The 17-year-old Amaro, for his part, timed 52.59sec to dominate the boys 16 to 17 100-meter freestyle to shatter his own old mark of 53.29sec he registered last year.

A few hours earlier at the track oval, Trangia continued her dominance in the girls under-18 discus throw by heaving 38.30 meters on her fifth attempt.

The Grade 12 student of Masbate Sports Academy edged eventual silver winner Hannah Ashlei Regaya of Davao Del Norte (31.54m) and bronze medalist Trisha Gayle Nalla of city of Maasin (31.06m).

Despite reigning supreme for the third time in her last year in the competition, Trangia admitted she wasn’t satisfied with her golden performance as it was a far cry from her personal best of 40.19m at the ICTSI National Open in Pasig this year.

“Mababa nakuha ko ngayon, nakaka-disappoint. Kailangan ko pang mag-training,” said Trangia, who is scheduled to leave for Malaysia on Monday, Nov. 25, to compete in an Under-18 tournament.

Back at the swimming pool, Pasig City’s Arvin Naeem Taguinota II and City of Malabon’s Sophia Rose Garra gave their teams two gold medals apiece in the morning session.

Taguinota, 13, topped the boys 12-13 200m IM (2:22.02) and 100m freestyle (57.92sec), while Garra won in the  girls 12-13 200m IM (2:31.82) and 100m free (1:02.61).

Other early winners were City of Taguig’s Aston Clyde Jose in boys 14-15 200m IM (2:14.08), San Fernando, La Union’s Kyla Bulaga in girls 14-15 200m IM (2:33.50), and Quezon City’s Liaa Margarette Amoguis in girls 16-17 200m IM (2:33.25), Pampanga’s Jet Deryl Berueda in boys 14-15 100m free (56.17sec), Aklan’s Nuche Ibit in girls 14-15 100m free (1:00.68), Naga City’s Alberto Jose Amaro II (52.59sec), and Pasig City’s Arabella Taguinota in the girls 16-17 100m free (1:02.03).

In chess, Quezon City’s Oscar Cantela and FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Davao Del Norte led the winners in the five-round rapid event at the Palawan State University.

Cantela swept all his rivals that include Bataan’s Alfred Angeles, Mike Mendoza of San Fernando, Pampanga, City of Muntinlupa’s Jeul Cubita, City of Zamboanga’s Fletch Arado, and Laguna’s Tom Saluba to rule the boys 16 to 17 years old division.

Arca, for his part, won in the boys 15 divison after tiebreaks were applied after he and Laguna’s Gabriel Siano finished with identical 5 points.

Other winners in the event were Sta. Rosa’s Jarhed Diocares (boys 14), Lipa’s Rafiel Irvin Lacorte (boys 13), Agusan del Norte’s Jake Andre Aballer (boys 12), Bohol’s Kristine Belano (girls 16-17), Canlaon’s Ryien Bahita (girls 15), Toledo’s Apple Rubin (girls 14), Cagayan de Oro’s Zhaoyu Capilitan (girls 13) and Zamboanga City’s Cyreine Jean Borce (girls 12).