Despite backing out from hosting the Palarong Pambansa, Danao City will still have a busy year ahead as it is set to host two major sporting events in 2017.
First on the list is the Xterra Philippines international off-road triathlon on April 17.
It will be the first time Danao will be hosting this event. The neighboring northern town of Liloan was the venue of this race for three years before it was moved to Albay in 2014.
After the Xterra, the city that is around 40 kilometers north of Cebu City will also be hosting a national mountain bike championships in June. Aside from the two, Danao City Sports Commission Chairman Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez Jr. also said they are looking to house and train the national mountain bike team that will compete in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Danao.
The Philippines will host the biennial meet in 2019 and Rodriguez is also hoping that Danao gets to host the mountain bike competition of the multisporting event.
“We already planned to let the national team train in Danao City to prepare for the SEA Games. I think it’s much better if they train here because we are also hoping that Danao City will be hosting the mountain bike event of SEA Games,” Rodriguez said.
On backing out from the Palarong Pambansa hosting, Rodriguez said it was the right thing to do at this time.
“The sports facilities are not yet complete. Maybe we can host Palarong Pambansa in four years,” Rodriguez said. “It’s better that all sporting events will be held in one place.”
The Palarong Pambansa will instead be held in Antique in the summer of 2017.
“But even though we decided not to host Palarong Pambansa next year, there will still be major sporting events to be held here.”
Last Sunday, around 700 runners and a hundred cyclists took part in the 38th Halad Kang Mano Amon Run and Halad Kang Mano Amon Cycling Classic in Danao City.