Athletes from Siquijor (in orange) join different teams from around the region in the parade of athletes at the Teodoro Mendiola Sr. Sports Oval in the City of Naga.
CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO
City of Naga — More than well-prepared coming into the contest, the Cebu City Niños are in for another great run in this year’s Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) Regional Meet, which officially kicked off yesterday at the Teodoro Mendiola Sr. Sports Oval here.
Edward Hayco, chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission, expressed confidence that the Niños are ready to snatch a 25th straight title after going through various sports and conditioning training camps prior to the start of the competition.
“Aim for the gold. Aim for the Olympics not just the Palarong Pambansa. They should strive for the highest,” said Hayco.
The Niños will be fielding in more than 600 athletes to compete in 25 sporting events.
The Cviraa meet will serve as the selection process in forming the team that will represent Region 7 in the Palarong Pambansa set in April in Antique Province.
Gold rush
The multi-sporting event formally opened just yesterday but the Niños have already pulled away in the overall race after they dominated the gymnastics event.
The gymnastics event started last Friday and ended yesterday at the Enan Chiong Activity Center with the Niños collecting 34 gold medals, 17 silvers and 13 bronzes.
Lapu-Lapu City finished second with six golds, 17 silvers and 17 bronze medals while Danao City had two golds, two silvers and a single bronze to take the third spot.
The Niños’ gold medalists in the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) was headed by Mark Angelo Sevilla, who won four gilts. His teammate Jesus Saragoza won two gold medals. Saragoza teamed up with Francis Coyoca and Randall Iverson Dela Pisa to top the men’s team competition.
Geanne Alexa Rallos won five gold medals in the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) cluster 1 while teammate Euricka Eisley Soronio won six golds in the WAG cluster 2. Soronio’s sibling Eunie Ginell won four golds in WAG cluster 3 while teammate Francin Ly Coyoca chipped in three golds.
Theresia Regner shone in the rhythmic gymnastics (RG) event by snatching five golds, while Leanne Marie Manning added two gold medals. Reggie Daniela Dela Pisa chipped in five golds in the Rhythmic Gymnastics secondary division.
The Niños are expected to pile up more gold medals at the start of the medal-rich athletics and swimming event.
Opening ceremonies
Naga’s Joan Alinsunod (right) and Joey Enot lead the lighting of the cauldron at the start of this year’s Cviraa Regional Meet.
CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO
In the opening festivities, Naga City’s Cviraa gold medalists last year Joan Alinsunod (athletics) and Joey Enot (billiards) lit the cauldron to signal the start of the week-long event.
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, along with First District Representative Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr., Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Ramon Fernandez and Naga City Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong, graced the opening salvo.