Newbies make Davraa debut

DAVAO City Durians will parade more newbies as the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2018 athletics competition that stakes a total of eight gold medals today starting at 6 a.m. at the University of Mindanao (UM) track oval in Matina, Davao City.

Elementary boys athletics coach Annabelle Bariquit, in a phone interview with Sun.Star Davao yesterday, said: "Mga firsttimers ang mudula sa unang adlaw pero 95 percent kumpyansa ko nga makaplacing sila (Seeing action in the first day of competition are Davraa Meet firsttimers but I am 95 percent confident they will put up good finishes)."

She was pertaining to Chester Jan Lamban of Columbus Elementary School and Jake Saga of Magallanes Elementary School who will vie for the gold medal in elementary boys shot put event as well as John Niel Taytayan of TV Fernandez Elementary School and Karl Matthew Tolibas of AFP Learning Center who will try to snatch the elementary boys long jump gold.

In the secondary division, Davao City will be represented by Davraa comebacker Mark Atnhony Caseñas of Calinan National High School and his schoolmate regional meet neophyte John Elmer Ocares who will both compete in long jump.

Seeing action in shot put are Bruce Pernia of A. L. Navarro National High School and Christian Olasiman of Davao City National High School.

Secondary boys athletics assistant coach Racquim Ramos of Lower Tamugan National High School, in a separate phone interview, said: "So far sa training sa mga bata, nag-improve man ilang mga record (The athletes improved their records during training)."

He also said that the athletes' morale is high.

"Taas ang kumpyansa sa mga bata kay isa ka bulan sad sila nag-training mismo sa UM Matina. Dako pud ug tabang nga diri sa atoa ang mga dula (The boys are confident having trained at UM track oval for almost one month. It is also a big boost that the games are held here)," Ramos added.

Golds in elementary boys, elementary girls, secondary boys and secondary girls 800-meter run will also be up for grabs today in the Davraa trackfest.