01/06/2026
M'luyong delivers 8 golds as NCR extends Palaro championship dynasty
TEAM Mandaluyong played a crucial role in the National Capital Region’s successful title defense in the Palarong Pambansa 2026, contributing eight gold medals to NCR’s championship campaign and finishing with a total haul of 19 medals.
Mandaluyong City amassed eight gold medals, four silver medals, and seven bronze medals, earning recognition as the ninth top-performing city nationwide in the secondary division of the country’s premier sporting event for student-athletes.
Heading the city’s medal surge was La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) swimmer James Ajido, who emerged as one of Mandaluyong’s most decorated athletes after capturing five gold medals in the 50-meter butterfly, 100-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 4x50-meter relay, and 4x50-meter freestyle relay events.
Ajido also added a silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle.
Fellow LSGH swimmer Behrouz Mojdeh contributed a gold medal in the 4x100-meter medley relay and a bronze medal in the 200-meter butterfly, while teammate Rodevic Gonzalvo bagged a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.
Jose Rizal University (JRU) standout Karl David Kens C. Tacoy also delivered a stellar performance in athletics, winning gold in the 4x100-meter relay, silver in the 4x400-meter relay, and bronze medals in both the 400-meter run and 200-meter run.
LSGH taekwondo jin Jaime De Guia struck gold in taekwondo, while archer Juan Villamore added another gold medal as a member of NCR’s victorious archery team event contingent.
In basketball, JRU’s Jairus Armendez, Mikhail Dagumanpan, and Lorenz Cinco helped NCR secure the bronze medal in the secondary boys’ 3x3 competition.
At the elementary level, Ethan Mikhail S. Calinawan of Lourdes School of Mandaluyong (LSM) was part of the NCR boys’ basketball team that clinched the silver medal in the 5x5 event.
Meanwhile, Isaac Lopez Integrated School (ILIS) dance sport athletes Lawren Vhier B. Zaldiva and Rozetter Anne E. Dangaran captured two bronze medals after placing in the Single Dance Pasodoble and Secondary Grade A Latin 5-Dance categories.
The impressive showing reflected the hard work, discipline, and dedication of Mandaluyong’s student-athletes, coaches, trainers, school heads, parents, and stakeholders who worked tirelessly throughout the preparation period.
In a Facebook post, the division acknowledged the unwavering support of the Local Government Unit of Mandaluyong, led by Mayor Carmelita A. Abalos, whose commitment to youth and sports development helped pave the way for the city's success.