NAVY cadet Mary Rose Frias surged in the stretch to clinch the women’s 1,500-meter run and became the first gold medalist in the 2024 Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Games national finals yesterday at the Cavite State University track and field oval in Indang, Cavite.
The 20-year old Frias, a second year Business Administration student at Virgin Melagros University in San Carlos City, Pangasinan crossed the finish line in five minutes and 7.2 seconds.
Her objective is to duplicate the achievement in the recent 2024 PRISAA national championships in Legazpi City, where she won two gold medals. She hopes to accomplish the feat in the women’s 800-m run against cadets from the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force.
Navy teammate Mary Ann de los Reyes claimed the silver medal with a time of 5:11.7 followed by Air Force cadet Ciara Largavista of University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos in Bacolod City for the bronze in 5:22.7.
Air Force cadet Ronnel Gonzales of the Kolehiyo ng Lungsod ng Lipa clinched the gold in the men’s 1,500-m run in 4:19.0, while Joven Panisa Makilan of Collegio de Sta. Ana de Victorias bagged silver in 4:22.0 and Army teammate A.J.R. Calago of Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Dipolog claimed the bronze in 4:23.1.
Army’s Macailla Jane Requirme of Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong City leaped 5.27 meters to win the women’s long jump. Air Force cadet Marla Jean Ramos Bacaro of UNO-R settled for second at 5:11 and another Army cadet Rodela Aros of University of Antique finished third at 5:08.
At the De La Salle University swimming pool in Dasmarinas City, cadet Kirk Dominique Reyes and cadet Kayla Janelle Chua captured three golds apiece to lead the Philippine Navy onslaught with a total of eight gold medals on the first day of aquatics competition.
The 18-year-old Reyes of De La Salle Taft won the gold in the men’s 200-m individual medley in 2:35.23 and men’s 50-m butterfly in 27.14 seconds. He won the men’s 200-m breastroke in 2:43.20.
Chua, also of De La Salle-Taft, dominated the women’s 100-m freestyle in 1:03.87 and the 50-m butterfly (31.44-sec). She also clinched the gold in the 50-m backstroke in 33.82-seconds.
Navy cadet Althea Gem Villapena of Yanbu Elite International School in Lucena City claimed the women’s 200-m individual medley in 3:08.96 and Marvic Iguidez of the JBLFMU Maritime School in Iloilo won the men’s 50-m backstroke in 31.77-second.
