780-strong Cebu City Niños start Batang Pinoy and PNG campaign in Manila
Former CCSC Chairman and now PSC Commissioner Edward Hayco talks to Cebu City’s athletes after arriving at the Rizal Memorial Stadium for the Batang Pinoy National Championships and Philippine National Games. | Photo from PSC
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Niños will start their week-long campaign in the Batang Pinoy National Championships and the Philippine National Games as the twin-multi sporting meet unfolded on Sunday, December 17, 2023, at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.
A total of 780 athletes, coaches, and officials of the Cebu City Niños are now in Manila to compete in 23 of the 25 events in both the PNG and Batang Pinoy.
They will be part of the massive 18,000 athletes from 200 Local Government Units (LGUs) around the Philippines.
“Team Cebu City, with nearly 800 athletes, coaches and staff, is excited to join the Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games. These twin events of the PSC are being held simultaneously for the first time,” said Cebu City Sports Commissioner (CCSC) John Pages.
According to Pages, the Niños flew to Manila in seven separate flights throughout the weekend with CCSC Executive Director Gayle Dico accompanying them.
Cebu City will vie in the archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball 3×3, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, futsal, gymnastics, karatedo, lawn tennis, Muay Thai, Pencak Silat, Sepak Takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, beach volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and wushu.
Most of the athletes who represent Cebu City are medalists from various meets including Palarong Pambansa, Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA), Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA), and the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi).
Last year, Cebu City finished 13th overall in the medal standings in the Batang Pinoy National Championships held in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. The City of Baguio finished on top with a 31-30-38 (gold-silver-bronze) tally.
Meanwhile, Cebu City topped the last PNG meet in its 2018 hosting. Cebu City grabbed 52 gilts, 59 silvers, and 71 bronze medals, beating Baguio’s 38-36-54 tally.
This will be the first PNG happening since 2018 after the PSC postponed it to give way for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games hosting. It was sidelined for an additional three years due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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