IBA, Zambales—Defending overall champion Bulacan finally made its presence felt by dominating the gymnastics competitions of the 2012 Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLRAA) on yesterday.

The town plaza of nearby Botolan town came alive with the gold-medal performances  of Jenny Ann Calleja and Christine Faith Taynan, who won five gold medals each to anchor Bulacan’s surge.

Over at  the sprawling Zambales Sports Center that looks fit to host the Palarong Pambansa anytime, 15-year-old archer Jean Karla Bondoc was on target all morning and bagged four gold medals to join the growing list of multiple gold-medal winners in this year’s CLRAA Zambales is hosting for the first time in 18 years, thanks to the efforts of Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. and Second District Rep. Jun Omar Ebdane.

Competing in the secondary girls’ artistics gymnastics, Calleja ruled the individual all around (35.00), vault (12.10), balance beam (11.35) and floor exercise (11.55).

Taynan joined the fun and ruler the individual all around (56.96), rope (15.40), hoop (14.90) and ball (14.60) in the secondary girls rhythmic gymnastics. Their fifth gold medals came in the team events.

Vannesa Nabua and Mary Jane Bontia accounted for two gold medals each in the five-gold medal haul in the elementary girls rhythmic, while the boys’ team in the secondary artistic gymnastics and Dan Harry Palad in the floor exercise of the elementary boys artistic gymnastics capped the 17 gold medals the Bulacan team hauled for the day.

Bondoc, meanwhile, submitted scores of 308, 278 and 268 to rule the secondary girls 30m, 50m and 60 meter distances.  Her total scores of 1135, including the 281 she recorded in winnng the silver medal in the 40m distance, gave Bondoc her fourth gold medal in the Single FITA.

“Nawala ako sa focus sa 40 meters kaya nag-second lang. Pero confident naman ako na mananalo ako at naniniwalang kaya kong lampasan ang five gold at two silvers na nakuha ko last year,” said the five-foot-six Bondoc.

Pampanga’s tracksters also kept their impressive form  winning five more gold medals.

Danice Elaine Luig, Terenz Catillo Tongol, Mark Louie Garon and Rene Mercado topped the 200m secondary girls, boys and elementary boys and 800m secondary boys events, while Keith Anne Santos dominated the elementary girls triple jump.     

The third day of competitions in athletics, however, belonged to Alyza Salmorin of Bulacan who for the third straight year won the 800m secondary girls gold medal.

The 16-year-old high school senior at Pulong Buhangin High School led from start to finish en route to a dominating 2:31.42. She was more than six seconds ahead of second placer Merlyn Andales of San Jose Del Monte.

“Talagang diskarte kong iwanan sila agad dahil alam ko ang lakas ko. Huling taon ko na sa Palarong Pambansa at tiwala akong sa taong ito ay kaya ko nang pumasok sa medal round,” said Salmorin, fourth-placere in the last two Palaro.

The other winners in the 800m run were Michelle Garcia of Tarlac City (elementary girls) and Patrick Villanueva of Aurora Province (elementary boys).

Janleth Marie Villanueva joined the ranks of triple medalists in the swimming competitions with two more victories on Wednesday, as Olongapo City hiked its gold medal haul to 10.              

Villanueva, who on Tuesday won the elementary girls 100m backstroke (1:21.58), ruled the 200m individual medley and 50m backstroke with times of 2:55.69 and 37.71.

Angeles City emerged as the most productive delegation in day two with six gold medals to join Malolos with nine gold medals.

Mark Alindogan led Angeles with two victories in the secondary boys 200m IM (2:26.50) and 200m backstroke (2:28.20) as he also is now a triple gold medalist as he topped the 200m breast stroke (2:45.50) in day one.