Cebu City holds on to be crowned overall champion in 2018 Philippine National Games
Cebu City banked on a strong finishing kick to rule the weeklong 2018 Philippine National Games (PNG) held in different venues around Cebu.
The Niños, second placers in the last edition of this multisporting meet in 2016, bagged 11 gold medals in the final day of competition yesterday to finish with a total of 52 gold medals, 59 silvers and 71 bronze medals, beating 93 other delegations for the overall crown.
For being this edition’s champions, the Niños bagged the P10-million cash assistance from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
According to Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) chairman Edward Hayco, the cash assistance will be a huge help for the planned construction of sports facilities at the South Road Properties.
“We are very grateful and proud of these athletes. They put their hearts out in every competition,” Hayco said, who also thanked the PSC and Department of Education (DepEd) for a successful staging of the meet in Cebu City.
PNG overall chairman and PSC Commissioner Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez said he was not surprised that Cebu City emerged champions, considering that the city’s program in sports is very mature.
Fernandez was also glad that no one got hurt in the meet.
“I would say that this is very successful,” said Fernandez. “I am very happy that the host LGUs Cebu City, Cebu province, the City of Naga, Mandaue City and Tabuelan town helped us in making PNG very successful.”
Baguio City, winner of the 2016 edition, finished second this time with a 38-36-54 (gold-silver-bronze) haul followed by Mandaluyong City (26-17-27) and co-hosts Cebu Province (18-18-28).
In the final day of the competition, the Niños dancesports squad delivered four gold medals along with five silvers and four bronze medals at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
Team Cebu City’s gold medalists in dancesports were the pairs of James Bryan Camacho and Christine Camacho (Grade C Standard), Gylle Niño Deluvio and Yeddah Marie Castañares (Youth C Latin), Jake Emmanuel Corro and Kim Jocson (Youth B Latin), and Jeffrey Ruben Benarao and Noelyn Mie Pedrano (Grade B Latin.)
Other gold medalists in the final day were Norman Joseph Enriquez (men’s lawn tennis), Tomas Malazarte (16-17 years old lightweight sparring of arnis), Zion Rondina (18-above half flyweight sparring event of arnis), Christian Saladaga (duathlon), the women’s volleyball team, men’s sepak takraw team, and the women softball team.