PH national games
For the athletes competing in the Philippine National Games (PNG) here in Cebu, the weeklong meet will be a good chance for them to show off their talents in the hopes of making it to the National Pool.
One of those eyeing a big break is 18-year-old Cebu City archer Lloyd Apawan.
It will be his first PNG stint and he vows to give his all to hopefully impress sporting officials monitoring the competition.
“It means everything to me,” said Apawan of the meet which will officially unfurl this afternoon at the Cebu City Sports Center. “I consider it as the make or break competition for my archery dream to be part of the national team.”
Apawan is a Grade-12 student of the Don Carlos Gothong Memorial National High School.
Apawan added that he wants to make it to the national team because he believes it will boost his chances of getting a college scholarship which will be a big help to his family especially his mother, who has single-handedly brought up all her five children since her husband died in 2006.
The only boy and the youngest among five siblings, Apawan said that there was never a time that his mother refused to support him in his sport, even if it was an expensive sport.
According to Apawan, his family, especially his mother, sacrificed so much just to be able to support him. He also got help from World Archery Philippines secretary general Rosendo ‘Dondon’ Sombrio.
Apawan began training at age 12 and has been competing since he turned 14 years old via the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meets, the Batang Pinoy and the Palarong Pambansa, wherein he has collectively amassed about 60 medals.
This makes him one of the athletes to watch out for in the PNG.
Last year’s Palarong Pambansa in Antique, his first and last, was his most memorable, so far, because he became the overall champion after bagging three gold medals and two silvers.
Apawan admits that this is not his first time that he will go up against national team members, so there is not that much pressure on his part.
But he still vowed to do his best for his dreams as he can’t wait for his turn to help his family.
Currently, Apawan is training in Dumaguete City under national coaches Joy Mariño and Clint Sayo with the help of Sombrio.
The PNG archery competition will be held at the Danao Track Oval in Danao City, north of Cebu City.