Cviraa team given ultimatum: finish lower than second place, lose chance to host Palaro
The bar has been set higher for the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) team that will compete in the 60th Palarong Pambansa on April 23 to 29 in Antique Province.
A daunting task of finishing second this year is what Cviraa will be trying to achieve in the annual multi-sporting event pitting the country’s top secondary and elementary athletes.
“We were told by Cebu City councilor Joy Young that we will not bid to host the Palaro if we finish lower than second place,” said Senior Education Program Supervisor Zenaida Gocotano.
Young is the deputy mayor for education and scholarship. He and fellow city councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr., deputy mayor for sports, will accompany the Cviraa delegation in Antique.
In gunning for a second-place finish, Cviraa, which is mostly composed of athletes from Cebu City, will also try prove a point.
“I was told by councilor Joy that Cebu City has been winning the Cviraa regional meet because we got weaker opponents. I disagreed. We’ve won national competitions like the Batang Pinoy and Milo Little Olympics, so we are really capable of winning in the national stage. Now the challenge is to prove that we can really excel in the Palaro,” said Gocotano.
The Cebu City Niños came away with their 25th straight Cviraa meet title last February in the City of Naga, southern Cebu.
Plus, Gocotano is also eyeing to achieve a personal mission in this year’s Palaro.
“I am retiring this September. If this is going to be my last year with Cviraa, I want it to be a memorable one,” she said.
Cviraa has been a consistent fourth place finisher in the Palaro but suffered a huge meltdown in 2015 when fell to sixth place.
The Bisdaks bounced back last year in Legazpi City when it once again finished fourth with a harvest of 29 gold medals, 31 silvers and 29 bronzes.
The 500-man Cviraa delegation will leave for Iloilo on April 17 via a chartered Trans-Asia boat. From Iloilo, the team will have another three-hour land trip for Iloilo.
Cviraa will be billeted at the University of Antique, said Gocotano.
Gocotano said Cviraa will compete in all the 25 regular events and three demonstration sports (dancesport, pencal silat, aero gymnastics).
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