Salda challenges BBEAL athletes

Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda challenged athletes of the 31st Baguio-Benguet Educational Athletic League to be passionate, have focus and give the games their all.

“My warmest con- gratulations to the athletes, trainors, coaches, and parents as well this strongly speaks of your strong commitment to cause of sports, 31 years of living the spirit of competition and friendship.”

The biggest collegiate sports competition officially opened Saturday after a parade of participating colleges and universities to the Kings College of the Philippines [KCP] Gymnasium with this year’s theme “Producing Leaders through Sports Excellence.”

Salda said “It is actually you our dear athletes who inspire us by striving hard to get here, 31 years of living with the spirit of competition and friendship is a quick proof of this. Life had been change for I am sure we will see BBEAL for the years to come.”

Rev. Kwon Young Soo, founder of KCP led the unfurling of banners and declared the opening of the BBEAL season while weightlifter, Marlon Andres, gold medalist during the Private Schools Athletic Association 2017 joined hundreds of athletes from the 11 universities and colleges as he symbolically lit the BBEAL torch.

The season kicked off with a game in men’s basketball pitting KCP Amazing Tigers against the Cordillera Career Development College Admirals.

For the first phase of the BBEAL 10 games comprised archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, chess, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis and wushu will be played with futsal included as a demonstration sport.

For this year’s season, Baguio College of Technology, Baguio Central University, Cordillera Career Development

College, Pines City Colleges, Philippine Military Academy, Benguet State University, University of the Philippines Baguio, Kings College of the Philippines will soar to elevate their ranks.

While Saint Louis University seeks to reclaim top spot against defending champion, the University of the Cordilleras.

At least 10 sports event will kick off the two phase meet including the centerpiece basketball event with the University of the Cordilleras Jaguars defending their title in the men’s side while the University of Baguio Lady Cardinals eyeing another repeat in the distaff side. With reports from Roderick Osis