New champs may rise in Milo Little Olympics

BEAUTY ROUND. Winners of the 2016 Miss Milo Little Olympics pose with their trophies. From left, 2nd runner-up Althea Mae Uy of Abellana National Night High School, secondary queen Mary Claire Briones of Abellana National School-Day and 1st runner-up Amanda Basnillo USP-F; elementary winner Angela Marie Gilstrap of USJ-R, 1st runner-up Margie Rae Markland of Monterey School Incorporated and 2nd runner-up Niña Blythe Boniel Mabolo Elementary School. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

The 21st Milo Little Olympics Visayas Regional finals may crown new champions this year.

Meet organizer Ricky Ballesteros said the huge out-of-town delegations from Bayawan City, Bacolod, Dumaguete and other visiting teams and schools pose a huge threat to the perennial winners.

“It’s going to be a tough competition. I think one of the toughest because most of the Negros Oriental schools sent big delegations and I’ve seen their players, they look impressive and very determined,” Ballesteros said after yesterday’s rain-drenched opening at the packed Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

The three-day competition features 15 sports events.

“I am sure that we are going to produce new winners this year, new champions,” said Ballesteros.

Bayawan City, Bacolod City and Dumaguete City have fielded around a hundred athletes who will compete in most of the 15 events.

Bayawan City once defeated Cebu City in football in the CVIRAA years ago, and Ballesteros is not discounting the possibility that it will be repeated in the Milo meet.

Ballesteros though, still believes that reigning champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) and University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BED), the secondary and elementary division champions respectively, will not relinquish their titles easily.

Meanwhile, Cebuana Olympian Mary Joy Tabal and Children of Asia Games bronze medalist Samantha Limos of the University of Cebu (UC) lit the Urn of Peace and Unity to signify the formal opening of the games while University of the Visayas’ (UV) multi-titled gymnast Daniela Reggie Dela Pisa led the Oath of Sportsmanship.

Present during yesterday’s opening were Milo Sports Executive Robbie De Vera, Nestle Philippines Senior Vice President Sherilla Bayona, DepEd Assistant Secretary for legislative affairs Atty. Tonisito Umali and Milo Sports Marketing Manager Andrew Neri.

Side events winners

Abellana National School’s (ANS) Mary Claire Briones and USJ-R’s Angela Marie Gilstrap were crowned this year’s Miss Milo Little Olympics queens.
Briones took the secondary crown while Gilstrap won the elementary title.

Amanda Basnillo of USPF placed second in the secondary division while Althea May Uy of ANS Night School finished third.

Runners-up in the elementary competition were Margie Raye Markland of Monterey School Incorporated and Niña Blythe Boniel of Mabolo Elementary School.

In the cheerdance contest, powerhouses Colegio dela Inmaculada Concepcion and City Central School grabbed the secondary and elementary titles, respectively.