By CALVIN CORDOVA

CEBU CITY – A 17-year-old trackster from Lapu-Lapu City sparked an auspicious start by host region Central Visayas, ruling the girls secondary 3,000-meter run to bag the first gold medal of the Palarong Pambansa 2024 on Thursday, July 11, at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Asia Abucay Paraase from Pajo National High School snatched the gold medal by clocking a personal-best of 10 minutes and 26 seconds.

Equally impressive was Central Luzon’s Jyane Kirt Cantor, who pulled off a record-breaking performance in the long jump boys elementary event.

Cantor tallied a 6.14-meter leap to break the previous record of 6.04 meters that was recorded in the 2002 Palaro in Naga, Camarines Sur.

Asked what keyed his record-breaking performance, Cantor said: “Prayers, lots of prayers.”

Competing in her second Palaro, Paraase said she had to overcome challenges just to make it to this year’s annual competition.

“It’s so hard to get support from the city government. I trained at the Mactan Air Base where the oval is not rubberized. But I just left it all to God and luckily, I won,” Paraase, the eldest in a brood of three, said in vernacular.

Paraase won silver in the 2023 edition in Marikina City. Her previous fastest time in the event was 10:33 which came during this year’s Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet.

The incoming Grade 12 student said the victory was something that she did not expect, fully aware that she was going up against tough rivals.

“I really did not expect this. I consider my opponents as my idols, I look up to them. My mindset was just to do my best. It feels good but this victory is not just for me but also for my coaches and my entire team,” said Paraase.

Paraase also credited her parents for the win. From competing in weekend fun runs to strutting wares in school meets and in the Palaro, Paraase said her parents were always behind her.

“They inspire me to do well,” said Paraase, whose mother used to compete in the CVIRAA Meet.

John Pages, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission, said the host delegation could not have asked for a better start.

“There’s no better way to begin the 2024 Palarong Pambansa medal tally than Central Visayas winning the first gold. What a symbolic way to start for the host region,” Pages said.

Region 7 got its second gold of the day courtesy of another athlete from Lapu-Lapu City.

Troy Nathaniel Abing dominated the individual single weapon category of the elementary boys arnis event.

Also contributing big to what was a productive first day by Region 7 in the athletics was Ace Francis Bacongallo from Bayawan City, who snagged the bronze in the elementary long jump event.