A Central Visayas’ batter hits the ball against Socsargen during their secondary girls baseball match in the Palarong Pambansa 2014 at the Laguna Sports Complex yesterday. The Bisdaks blanked their rivals, 5-0.
(CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON)
Sta. Cruz, Laguna— The Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) was never really comfortable when the Palarong Pambansa “suddenly” reverted to the General Olympic Medal System.
Under the medal system, Cviraa feared that retaining or improving its third place finish last year would be extra difficult. Their worst fears might just happen.
Down to the last two days of the 57th edition of the multi-sports event, Cviraa found itself at seventh place with just eight golds, 15 silvers and 15 bronzes in the meet’s official tally as of 9 p.m. last night.
Powerhouse National Capitol Region (NCR) is poised to winning the overall title once again with a 46-28-31 tally. Region 6 was at second place with 20 golds, 14 silvers and 21 bronzes followed by Region 4-A with an 18-26-27 count.
At fourth place was the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (15-9-9) and Region 12 with a 10-11-14 tally was fifth followed by Region 10 (9-12-13).
GYMNASTS CONTRIBUTE
Eunie Ginell Soronio yesterday pocketed gold in the beam individual of the women’s artistic gymnastics. Soronio and Kathlyn Autida pocketed bronze in the team event.
Diane Sophia Navarro, Francin Ly Coyoca and Desireiy Padilla came away with silver in the secondary gymnastics team event. Navarro and Padilla also pocketed silvers in the beam and and vault exercises, respectively. The three also won bronze in the overall WAG.
In the elementary men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG), Randall Dela Pisa bagged bronze in the vault while Dustin Murti netted bronze in the pommel horse.
After winning two golds in secondary archery, Vincent Villa won his second silver after ranking second in the single Fita.
CONFUSED
“The format is really difficult. We can’t understand some of the rules in talllying the medals and some regions are also complaining. The new system was not explained well to us,” said Dr. Vivian Ginete, chief of the Education Support Services Division and athletic manager of the Cviraa.
The shift from points to medal system is part of the implementation of the Republic Act (RA) 10588 or the Palarong Pambansa Act which aims to institutionalize the annual competition.
One of the rules that puzzled Ginete was the exclusion in Cviraa’s medal tally of the four gold medals that Daniela Dela Pisa won in the women’s artistic gymnastics.
Reportedly, since it was a 10-under competition, it will be considered a demonstration sport and the medals won in the contest will not be included in the regions’ haul.
Ginete said a meeting between the directors of the Physical Education and School Sports (PESS) and officials of the Department of Education will be held to clarify the new rules.
With the new system, Ginete said the Cviraa will start giving more attention on the individual events to improve its chances next year. In the ongoing contest, Cviraa has yet to win a single gold in the medal-rich athletics and swimming.
“We are down in the standings but I can see that the athletes are really doing their best,” said Ginete.
CRUCIAL DAY
Cviraa is hoping to win more medals today after three of the five secondary boxers advanced to the final round.
Cristian John Dominick Casanares(42-kilogram), Vicente Sios-e (40-kg), and Lloyd Jabez Antoque (38-kg) were fighting for golds last night. Junrel Jimenez (49-kg) and Kit Ceron Garces (46-kg) made it to the semifinal round but lost their fights last night.
Garces, Antoque and Jimenez are gold medallists in last year’s Palaro, while Casanares won gold in the recent Batang Pinoy.
Cviraa and NCR face each other in a semifinal duel in the boys secondary basketball. The encounter is a rematch of last year’s final won by Cviraa.
Also competing in semifinal games are the elementary volleyball girls and boys squads and the secondary footballl team.
Valerie Orlanes of Region 7 soars for a spike during the elementary girls volleyball competition. (CDN PHOTO/ LITO TECSON)