UNDERMANNED USC FACES UC CHALLENGE
Remember, not everyone gets to take home the gold. Let’s draw inspiration from the experience of defeat to assess on how we can improve further in time for the next competition. LESTER CASTILLO, Milo sports executive
Defending overall champion USC fields fewer athletes in Milo Olympics After skipping last year’s edition, perennial champion UC returns Aside from UC, USC, Ateneo de Cebu, ANS also shoot for overall title
Defending overall champion University of San Carlos- Basic Education (USC-Bed) will face a tall order as the games starts today in the 22nd Milo Little Olympics-Visayas Leg.
USC-Bed’s biggest threat is the returning University of Cebu, a 17-time overall champion in the sporting meet and USC-Bed athletic director Saturnino Mayormita said that they will field fewer athletes this year.
“The team has 197 athletes; we have more than 60 participants in the elementary division and more than 100 in the secondary division. This is a fewer compared to more than 200 last year,” Mayormita told sports scribes during the event’s opening ceremony at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) yesterday.
He said that aside from UC, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) and Abellana National School (ANS) are also strong contenders.
Mayormita reminds the USCBed athletes to be grateful whatever the outcome of the games.
“You have worked hard, just do your best and just apply what you have practiced. Don’t forget to be thankful, especially to God for this opportunity,” he said.
UC, who missed the event last year, will aim to climb at the top again.
“We have prepared for our return in Milo Little Olympics. We hope for the best,” said overall sports coordinator Jessica Honoridez.
A total of 269 Visayas-based schools will be competing in 15 sporting events. The schools are from Cebu, Bohol, Capiz City, Dumaguete Cit and Bacolod City.
“Everything is set and being taken cared of. All the games will start tomorrow (Friday). We will be giving Most Outstanding Athletes (MOA), and for sure, this will add motivation to the athletes,” said Visayas-Leg organizer Ricky Ballesteros.
A total of 5,490 student-athletes in the elementary and secondary levels will compete for three days in Cebu’s various sporting venues.
The event officially fired off with an opening ceremony at the CCSC yesterday with guest Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Ramon Fernandez.
“When I took the office as PSC commissioner, one of my conditions is to be based here in Cebu so I can take care of the Visayas program. This is where the athletes mostly came from, one of them is Mary Joy Tabal. I would to give credit for Milo for having this event for the last 30 years,” said the PBA legend Fernandez.
Milo sports executive Lester Castillo wishes the athletes all the best in the games and reminded them that it’s not all about winning.
“Remember, not everyone gets to take home the gold. Let’s draw inspiration from the experience of defeat to assess on how we can improve further in time for the next competition. Champions never give up. Do your best and keep the spirit of sportsmanship alive,” said Castillo.
The 15 events to be contested are arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, karatedo, lawn tennis, scrabble, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball. /