By ANGELO CAPARAS
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur — National Capital Region swimmer Patricia Mae Santor capped her stellar secondary career with authority, winning all seven events she contested in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa on Friday, May 29, at the Aquatic Center, Datu Lipus Makapandong–Governor Democrito O. Plaza Sports Complex here.
Santor expectedly closed out her campaign the way she opened it – in dominant fashion as she reigned in the girls’ 100-meter butterfly after clocking 1 minute and 04.09 seconds for a wondrous 7-of-7 performance.
Sinagtala Cuevas completed a 1-2 NCR finish after posting 1:06.75, while National Academy of Sports’ Riannah Chantelle Coleman took bronze in 1:06.99.
Santor also ruled the 50-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, 400-meter individual medley, 4×50-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter medley relay.
“I really had high expectations. That was my only goal this Palaro as this is my last season. I’m really glad I got it. It’s my last year,” said Santor.
The NCR tanker was also hailed as the most bemedalled athlete across all divisions in the 2025 Batang Pinoy in General Santos City, where she bagged six gold medals and a silver.
“Marami akong pinagdaanan. A lot of challenges, motivations, moments sa buong Batang Pinoy and Palaro ko, sa last years ko,” said Santor. “I still pushed through kahit mahirap. Maraming emotional moments dahil sa mga supporters ko, coaches ko and parents ko. Sa mga nag-believe sa akin. Dahil sa kanila, i still swam. Di ako nag-give up and I tried my best.”
A split-second short of history, Santor missed Camille Lauren Buico’s 1:03.67 record from 2019, but remained pleased as she still claimed the gold medal convincingly.
“I became emotional not because of 7th gold, although it’s a really good achievement. I was aiming for the record so I was a bit short. But although I didn’t get it, I realized in the end that I was a bit hard on myself so inisip ko nalang, winork ko naman and I still did well,” said Santor.
Three swimming records were broken as Ilocos Region’s Anton Paulo Dominick shattered Paolo Miguel Labanon’s 2024 mark of 8:49.97 after listing 8:38.71 in the secondary boys’ 800-meter freestyle.
Seb Rafael Santos of Central Luzon joined the record-breaking club after eclipsing Lance Rafael Cruz’s 2:25.29 mark in 2023 with a winning time of 2:23.98 in the secondary boys’ 200-meter breaststroke.
Riannah Chantelle Coleman of the National Academy of Sports was equally impressive, shattering Michaela Jasmine Mojdeh’s 2024 mark of 2:41.75 with a 2:39.60 finish in the secondary girls’ 200-meter breaststroke.
Bicol Region’s Riley Maddaleign Alindogan and CALABARZON tanker Charles Nathan Boneo finished with identical tallies of six gold medals and one silver in the elementary division to emerge as the most bemedalled athletes in the category.
In secondary boys’ 5×5 basketball quarterfinal action, Davao Region punched its ticket to the semifinals after pulling away from Cordillera Administrative Region, 73-57, while CALABARZON followed suit with a strong 99-85 win over Ilocos Region.
Central Luzon also booked its semis berth after cruising past Western Visayas, 73-57, while National Capital Region closed the round with a dominant 95-65 blowout of Northern Mindanao.
As of 3 p.m., NCR stays atop the medal race with 48 gold, 43 silver, and 40 bronze medals and followed by CALABARZON with 32 gold, 36 silver, and 35 bronze medals, Western Visayas (25-21-22), Central Visayas (19-18-19), and Central Luzon (19-10-16).
