AGUSAN DEL SUR — Chrishia Mae Tajarros delivered the first gold in Palarong Pambansa — again.
Representing Region 8, Tajarros successfully defended her title in the secondary girls’ 3,000-meter run, outpacing her rivals in the 66th edition of the games at the Datu Lipus Makapandong-Governor Democrito O. Plaza Sports Complex Monday.
The 14-year-old distance runner previously clocked 10 minutes and 18.6 seconds during the 2025 Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte, and believes she came into this year’s race in even better form.
The Leyte pride shared that she wants to make sure to make the most out of her stint in the multi-sport event with a vision to make it to the Olympics.
“I am 100-percent hungry to defend my title, because I really want to make it to the Olympics while I am young,” she told the media in Filipino.
“I am confident that I can do this because I trained for this, and this only once a year. We really prepared for this. We really worked on the details. What’s different this time was addressing all the small things, like putting my foot forward.”
Daughter of a fish vendor, Tajarros explained how being in sports changed her life.
“We are not rich, my family do whatever they could to make ends meet. Because once you’re in the academy, your food, and everything is shouldered, so this is one way to help my family in the small way that I can,” she shared.
Tajarros showed a different body language this time compared to her first gold in Ilocos Sur, where she shed a tear after copping the gold — this time she showed confidence.
The incoming Grade 10 student at Tanauan National High School used to run barefoot in her Palarong Pambansa debut in 2024 where she finished with no place.
And when she had a her first pair in 2025, she showed that she can leave the pack behind. “I need to win because I don’t want my hard work in our trainings go to waste.”
Manuel Albano, coach of Tajarros shared that the Eastern Visayas team trained intensively ahead of the Palarong Pambansa.
“On the scale of 1 to 10 our training is ten (being the toughest). We really want to push the athletes to their limits and I am proud that this is the result,” she shared.
Her teammate Angel Lumacan clocked in 10 minutes and 16.24 seconds to take the silver medal, while Charlen Cos of Region 11 (Davao) finished with a bronze medal with a time of 10 minutes and 17.20 seconds.
Christine Rose Toquero of Negros topped the javelin throw in the secondary girls’ event.
Demo sport soft tennis saw Ivan Bert Pastor of Cagayan Valley took home three gold medals after dominating the singles, mixed, and doubles event.
“This is my first time in Palaro and I did not expect to win since I have no awards in Batang Pinoy last year,” he shared.
