ZAMBOANGA City – Cadet John Barry Asdani led his team to victory in the Air Force men’s 4×100-meter relay, securing his fourth gold medal yesterday in the 2024 ROTC Games Mindanao Leg held at the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.

Asdani, from West Mindanao State University, also won the Air Force competition in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.2 seconds. Earlier, he claimed gold medals in the 200-meter run (25.00 seconds) and the men’s long jump (3.74 meters).

However, it was Armyman Ronald Lagorra from Jose Rizal State University-Dipolog who earned the accolade as the fastest man, posting the best time in the men’s 100-meter dash at 11.6 seconds. Teammate Karen Penpena from Davao De Oro State College recorded the best time on the women’s side with 13.2 seconds.

In addition to Asdani, other notable athletes in the medal-rich athletics events included Navy cadet Jenny Manongsong and Army cadet Jessa Corpus, each with three golds already, and A.J.R. Calago, who has two golds on the oval.

Air Force cadet Jenny Rose Ibanez from Western Mindanao State University has also accumulated three golds, winning the 1,500-meter run (7:52.5), 800-meter run (3:30.2), and the 4×100-meter relay (12.9).

Manongsong, from Zamboanga Peninsula College of Marine Science and Technology, won the Air Force women’s 100-meter in 16.1 seconds, her third gold after leading her team in the 4×100-meter relay in 1:09.7. She also dominated the women’s long jump (3.74 meters) on Wednesday.

Corpus, on the other hand, claimed victories for the Army in the 800-meter run (2:44.3), 1,500-meter run (5:34.5), and led her team to win the 4×100-meter relay (54.3).

A.J.R. Calago from Jose Rizal Memorial State College-Dipolog, also an Army cadet, won the 800-meter run (2:06.0) and the 1,500-meter run (4:32.2). Army teammate Marc Jerome Basin from Tangub City Global College took gold in the 200-meter run (23.7) and the 4×100-meter relay (47.3).

In kickboxing at the WMSU game, Abdurahman Abbas from Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology triumphed over Archie Alasio from Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University in the finals of the Air Force event. Dom Novilla from Zamboanga College Inc. also won against Kenneth Rodriguez from Western Mindanao State University in the finals. Camille Joy Sanchez from Western Mindanao State University won over Suraina Said from Mindanao State University-Sulu Campus by disqualification in the third round.

Each of the three branches of the Armed Forces conducted their own competition for their respective cadets, offering three golds in every event, allowing more units to participate in all contested events.

The ROTC Games, a brainchild of Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis Tolentino, who also serves as the overall chairman, is coordinated with the Philippine Sports Commission, Department of National Defense, and Commission on Higher Education to foster discipline and camaraderie among cadets from various schools and universities across the country.