RAIN DELAY? NOT FOR CEBU CITY’S SQUAD

Cebu City opens Cviraa title defense with 34 gold medals in gymnastics Cebu Province hopes to jump from fourth place to second place this year

The finesse and flexibility of the defending champion Cebu City Niños was in full display as they nabbed 34 gold medals in the gymnastics event to kick-start their quest for a 25th straight title in the Central Visayas Regional Athletics Association (Cviraa) at the Enan Chiong Sports Complex (Ecac) yesterday.

The Niños grabbed 34 gold medals to go along with 17 silvers and 13 bronzes in the gymnastics event, which concluded yesterday. The gymnastics competition started Friday and was the first event to be played.

Lapu-Lapu hauled six gold medals, 17 silver medals and 17 bronze medals to take temporary second place. Danao City garnered two gold medals, two silvers and one bronze to seat in third place.

Euricka Eisley Soronio won six gold medals for Cebu City, while teammates Geanne Alexa Rallos, Reggie Daniela Dela Pisa and Theresia Regner added five each. Mark Angelo Sevillla and Eunie Ginell Soronio won four each and Jesus Saragosa had two.

On the other hand, about 7,000 athletes gathered at the Teodoro “Doring” Mendiola Sr. Track and Field Oval for the opening ceremony yesterday. Joan Alinsunod, a gold medalist trackster from the mountain barangays of Naga who was featured by SunStar Cebu last year, was the torchbearer for this year’s Cviraa.

Present during the opening ceremony were City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vaness Chiong, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, Governor Hilario Davide III, Congressman Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. and Cebu City councilor Eugenio Gabuya.

Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) chairman Edward Hayco in an interview reminded and encourage the athletes to aim higher and set higher goals.

“(My message to the athletes) is to aim for the gold. I know it’s ambitious but don’t just aim for the Palarong Pambansa, but also for the Olympics. Strive for the highest,” said Hayco.

Hayco pointed out that one of Cebu’s Olympian Mary Joy Tabal was once part of Cviraa and Palarong Pambansa when she was an elementary student of Guba Elementary School, a mountainous area in Cebu City.

Cebu City is fielding more than 600 athletes for the event, which is a qualifier for the Palarong Pambansa in Antique Province.

Cebu Province, meanwhile, is aiming to improve its ranking with an improve roster this year thanks to its province-wide grassroots program.

“We hope to improve our ranking. Our goal is to hopefully improve to No. 2 from No. 4 overall last year,” said Cebu Province Sports Commission (CPSC) executive director Atty. Ramil Abing in a separate interview. “The whole delegation is 850 with more than 600 athletes. We’re really hoping to improve since we gave the province the resources and the financial aid for the athletes in line with Cviraa.”

The medal-rich events like swimming, athletics, taekwondo, karatedo, arnis and archery are set to start today.