TACLOBAN CITY – Chrisia Mae Tajarros, 13, of Tanauan, Leyte delivered Eastern Visayas’ first gold medal at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa after ruling the 3,000-meter run for secondary girls on May 26 at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium.
A student of Tanauan National High School and scholar at Leyte Sports Academy, Tajarros made a strong comeback after finishing second in last year’s Palaro.
“Hindi po nasayang ang training,” said Tajarros, moved to tears after her win.
Coach Damaso Oledan Jr. embraced her at the finish line, saying, “Bisan diri ma-break an record, importante makuha an gold.”
House Speaker Martin Romualdez hailed her victory as a story of “perseverance and redemption,” and praised her as a symbol of the promise of grassroots sports.
Also winning gold for Region 8 was Efosa John Paul Aguinaldo in the secondary boys’ long jump event.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
