Negros Island Region, Calabarzon sprinters break records in 2026 Palaro girls’ 400m dash

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Philippines – In Palarong Pambansa, longtime contestants often become the favorite to win. They’re familiar faces, and are expected to always come out on top. 

For Palarong Pambansa newcomer Ashley Nicole Silvor of Negros Island Region, however, the first time’s the charm. 

Silvor ran the 400m dash in the elementary girls’ division of the 2026 Palarong Pambansa. She had only recently just started training for athletics. She was inspired by her classmates, she shared, to try her hand at running. 

“‘Yung mga classmate ko, sinali ako nila pero sila nakapractice na. Hindi ko aakalain na makaka-abot ako ng gold,” she told Rappler. 

(My classmates pulled me in but they’ve already started training then. I wasn’t expecting that I will get the gold medal.) 

Silvor had not only won gold, but also set a new meet record of 1:00.09 minutes — surpassing the previous record of 1:00.12 minutes. 

Silvor’s father works as a delivery rider, while her mother steps in to assist him. As an athlete, the 12-year-old has two big dreams: “Makacompete sa ibang bansa (compete in other countries) and make my parents proud.” 

Calabarzon star

Meanwhile, Loraine Audrey Batalla of Calabarzon celebrated the start of her fourth year at the games by finding herself back at the top of the podium in the 400m dash. 

“Sobrang saya ko kasi ngayong taon na lang ako ulit nakapag-gold medal. Silver po ako last year,” she told the media after her sprint. 

(I’m so happy because I finally got the gold medal again this year. I won silver last year.) 

The 16-year-old athlete also set a new meet record of 56.12 seconds, beating the record of 56.28 seconds previously held by Jessel Lumapas, also from Calabarzon, in 2018.  

The Laguna standout is already a star in her own right. Between the four years she’s been joining Palaro, she has competed in international tournaments, like the 2025 Indonesia U18 Championships, where she won silver in the women’s 400m with a time of 58.57 seconds. 

Through her sport, she says wants to help her parents out in the future. Her father is a construction worker, while her mother is a housewife.

The 2026 Palarong Pambansa will continue until May 31. – Rappler.com