Cebu City delegation heads, CVIRAA organizers and DepEd Region 7 officials pose for a group photo during the awarding. | By Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Cebu City Niños delivered a dominant performance throughout the week-long Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA), surpassing their 2023 gold medal tally as the event concluded on Thursday, May 9.
The Niños amassed a total of 118 gold medals, exceeding the 110 gold medals they earned in the CVIRAA 2023 held in Carcar City.
More than half of Cebu City’s total gold medals came from its secondary division athletes which collected 71 gilts, while 47 came from its elementary division athletes.
Besides the gold medals, Cebu City earned 73 silver and 78 bronze medals.
Of Cebu City’s total gold medals, more than half came from its secondary division athletes, who secured 71 gilts, while 47 were earned by its elementary division athletes.
The Niños won 77 more gold medals than the second-overall placer, Dumaguete City.
Dumaguete City secured a total of 41-44-33 (gold-silver-bronze) medals, displacing last year’s second-placer, Cebu Province (32-43-62), which settled for fifth place overall.
Bohol Province (38-48-56) climbed three spots higher to round off the top three delegations, improving from sixth place last year, while Mandaue City (35-35-49) retained fourth place overall.
GYMNASTS, DANCESPORT ATHLETES DELIVER
Francis Ramirez, head of the Cebu City delegation, mentioned that their primary concern during the competition was their swimmers and track and field athletes, who failed to secure the much-needed gold medals that placed them on top last year in Carcar City.
However, Cebu City’s gymnasts and dancesport athletes clinched a multitude of medals in the final two days of the meet.
The gymnasts secured 44 gold medals, with 32 of them coming from women’s artistic gymnastics (WAG) and men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG) events at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U).
Meanwhile, the Niños won 16 more gold medals in various events, five came in badminton, three in chess including the ball games in secondary boys and girls volleyball, elementary boys football, and the secondary boys basketball.
“Among concern gyud ang athletics ug swimming, pero ang uban events ni step-up gyud sila para mo fill in sa mga gold medals nga wala nadaog sa atong athletics ug swimming. Last year, kani nga mga events wala kaayo sila naka deliver, pero na challenge sila mao nang karon ni improve gyud maayo,” Ramirez assessed.
“Wala gyud mi nag expect maabot ug hundred plus among gold medals. Among estimate kay 80 to 90 gold medals pero sa last two days ni deliver ni nga mga events kaning dancesport, gymnastics, taekwondo, ball games, naa sad badminton, table tennis.”
PREPARATIONS FOR PALARO
Ramirez emphasized that despite competing with homecourt advantage in July’s Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City, there’s no room for complacency.
He mentioned plans to meet with supervisors from the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 7 to discuss the possibility of a unified training camp for the Palarong Pambansa-qualified athletes from Central Visayas.
“Mag meeting mi after sa CVIRAA, kung mo stay-in ang mga bata or mag training separately. Maghuwat ko sa decision sa mga higher-ups ug superiors ug unsay next move namo, in cooperation with the regional office,” said Ramirez.
Region 7 typically holds a unified training camp hosted by Cebu City before Palarong Pambansa.
Last year in Marikina City, Region 7 finished fifth in the overall medal standings, while perennial champion, NCR, remained at the top.
The last time Region 7 topped the Palaro overall medal standings was in 1994 during its second hosting.
Ramirez acknowledged the pressure from the high expectations to replicate the victory of 30 years ago but admitted that it won’t be an easy feat.
“Pressure gyud kaayo kay doble ang trabaho sa hosting ug delegation, unya ga expect pa gyud sila kung unsa nakab-ot nato sa CVIRAA, malabwan pa nato sa Palarong Pambansa puhon. Pero amo gyud paningkamotan nga ma successful atong hosting ug atong pag compete sa Palarong Pambansa,” Ramirez said.
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