CEBU CITY, PROVINCE ATHLETES GET READY FOR BATANG PINOY NATIONALS
After strong performance in regional finals, Cebu City, Cebu Province promise to continue training for nationals
Athletes from Cebu City placed first in the Batang Pinoy Visayas Leg this week, with 46 gold medals, 59 silvers, and 69 bronzes. Cebu Province placed third with 39 golds, 37 silvers, and 44 bronzes. But athletes from both local governments aren’t taking a breather just yet and will instead start training for the national finals, which will be held in February. The week-long Visayas Leg competition for athletes under 15 years old took place in Dumaguete City and attracted about 2,500 participants.
Cebu City and Cebu Province are not resting on their laurels after a show of force in the 2017 Batang Pinoy Visayas Leg in Dumaguete City, which wrapped up last Thursday.
Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman Edward Hayco said that the training of the athletes will continue for the Batang Pinoy National Championships, which is calendared in February next year.
“We are very pleased with the performance of the athletes. The training continues after this especially those who are part of the grassroots (program),” said Hayco after Cebu City got the No.1 spot in the overall medal tally with 46 gold medals, 59 sil- vers and 69 bronzes.
Hayco added that he’s happy with the outcome since 40 percent of their medalists came from public schools.
For his part, Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) executive director Atty. Ramil Abing lauded the performance of Cebu Province, which sent 208 delegates. Cebu Province finished at third place with 39 gold medals, 37 silvers and 44 bronzes.
“Our athletes have fought hard and the coaches did their part in encouraging them to do their best. Our medal harvest actually exceeded my expectations. I’m just elated that our preparation was justly rewarded,” said Abing.
Abing added that he’s glad that the team showed cohesiveness despite coming from different towns and mostly first timers in the Batang Pinoy. To prepare for the national finals, Abing will instruct the coaches to start the training early.
Abing also said that he will work on something for the incentives of all the medalists of Cebu Province, who bagged a total of 120 medals.
The week-long sporting conclave for 15-under athletes organized by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) featured 19 sporting events and was joined by 43 local government units with a total of about 2,500 participants.
The other teams from Cebu who joined were Mandaue City (29-23-20) who’s at sixth place, Lapu-Lapu City (23-12-20) at seventh place and Danao City (7-814) at 13th place.
Our athletes have fought hard and the coaches did their part in encouraging them to do their best. Our medal harvest actually exceeded my expectations. I’m just elated that our preparation was justly rewarded. RAMIL ABING CPSC