Escalante City-A and Victorias City seized two team championships each Saturday in the revival of the Negros Occidental Track and Field Association Age-Group Athletics Competition at the Escalante Central Elementary School Oval in Escalante City.

Led by 12-year-old Jesrael Bayotas, the Escalante-A elementary boys' team grabbed 12 golds, four silvers and five bronzes to rule their division, while its elementary girls' squad posted an 8-7-1 medal-haul to bring home the top honors.

Bayotas, the most bemedalled athlete in the elementary boys' category of the 2005 Palarong Panlalawigan, snatched four golds and a silver to spearhead the campaign of the hosts as Marjorie Rosales bagged three golds and a silver to power the Escalante-A elementary girls' team.

The Victorias secondary boys' contingent grabbed 15 golds and two bronzes to reign supreme in its division as its secondary girls' squad snared 12 golds for the team crown.

Emmanuel De Ocampo, a senior at Victorias National High School, led the secondary boys' field as he bagged three golds, while Kiezel Pedrina won four golds to spearhead the bid of Victorias in the high school girls' contest.

Bayotas, a sixth grader at ECES, began his bid on a bright note as he emerged victorious in the 400-meter race after clocking one minute and 1.75 seconds, ahead of teammates Angelu Diaz (1:05.20) and Rodney Flores (1:13.76).

The Escalante standout followed up his victory with another sensational effort in the 800-m as he timed in at 2:25.31 to beat compatriots Bernie Empase (2:31.18) and Aladin Flores (2:45.06).

Bayotas cornered two more golds as a part of the triumphant 4x100-m and 4x400-m relay squads of Escalante-A. He also finished in the 200-m sprint with a 28.16 sec. clocking, behind Bacolod tay Tung High School's Derek Amar (27.04 sec.).

Other gold medalists for Escalante-A in the elementary boys' play were Empase as he booked a 5:19.39 clocking in the 1,500-m race and Remark Lauron with his 23.46-m effort in the discus throw.

Middle distance runner Rosales started her campaign for the Escalante-A elementary girls' team with a victory in the 800-m run with a time of 2:42.16, defeating teammate Erma Mabasa (2:54.61) and Adeline Jarder of Trinity Christian School (3:01.99).

Rosales also won golds in the 1,500-m and 4x400-m, and took a silver in the 4x100-m. Also claiming golds for Escalante-A were Felyn Dolloso in the long jump competitions with her 4.03-m leap and Elmera Toliro, who heaved 24.21 meters in the discus throw hostilities.

Mikaela Manzano of TCS emerged as the most bemedalled athlete in the elementary girls' contest as she seized golds in the 100-m, 200-m and 4x100-m events, and silvers in the 400-m and 4x400-m runs.

De Ocampo, 16, topped the 100-m sprint with an 11.30 sec. clocking, beating Trinity's Anton Apua (12.15 sec.) and Keinmar Bantillo of Victorias (12.18 sec.).

De Ocampo, who became the most bemedalled athlete of his division, also grabbed golds for Victorias in the secondary boys' category with victories in the 200-m sprint and 4x100-m relay.

Ariel Mahilum and Levan Gargaran also added two golds each to the coffers of Victorias, while Roger Sindol bagged another gold medal by ruling the 1,500-m in 4:51.43.

In the secondary girls' play, Victorias' Pedrina emerged as the winningest athletes after hauling golds in the 100-m, 200-m, 4x100-m and 4x400-m events.

Camille Poral also hoarded a gold for Victorias in the 400-m run with a time of 1:09.14 as well as Joan Fernandez who reigned supreme in the long jump event with a 4.32-m leap. *CIT

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