Abellana National School (ANS) athletes. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Abellana National School (Unit 9) and the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters are dominating the secondary division of the 32nd Cebu City Olympics, leading the medal tally by a wide margin.
With 23 of the 26 sports already concluded over the course of the week in various venues around Cebu City, ANS and UC have secured the top two spots in the secondary division standings. Meanwhile, the battle for the overall top position in the elementary division remains in the balance between Unit 8 and Unit 4.
As of December 20, ANS leads the secondary division with an impressive 56 golds, 34 silvers, and 22 bronzes. UC follows closely with a tally of 46 golds, 26 silvers, and 8 bronzes.
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Unit 4 is in third place with 25 golds, 31 silvers, and 24 bronzes, while the University of San Carlos trails in fourth place with 23 golds, 25 silvers, and 38 bronzes. Unit 8 rounds out the top five with 15 golds, 21 silvers, and 28 bronzes.
In sixth to eighth positions, the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu stands with 13 golds, 2 silvers, and 8 bronzes, followed by the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) with 2 golds, 5 silvers, and 3 bronzes, and Cebu Eastern College (CEC) with 1 gold, 0 silvers, and 2 bronzes.
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ELEMENTARY DIVISION
In the elementary division, the race for the overall top spot is incredibly tight between Unit 8 and Unit 4. Both have accumulated 22 gold medals, but Unit 8 holds a slight edge with 20 silvers, compared to Unit 4’s 17. Unit 4, however, leads in bronzes with 19, while Unit 8 has 11.
Unit 5 is in third place with a tally of 18 golds, 10 silvers, and 25 bronzes, followed by Unit 7 in fourth with 13 golds, 16 silvers, and 10 bronzes. Unit 2 rounds out the top five with 8 golds, 12 silvers, and 16 bronzes.
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ANS has relied heavily on its arnisadors, who contributed 17 gold medals, while the school’s track and field athletes added 3 golds. Additionally, ANS triumphed in several events, including the secondary girls’ doubles badminton, girls’ 5×5 basketball, and Pencak Silat, where they bagged 3 golds.
Mitchloni Dinauanao and her partner Rodre Yan Rodriguez pose for a photo after the dancesport competition. | Facebook photo
On the other hand, UC’s performances in dancesport, gymnastics, and swimming have been crucial to maintaining their position.
Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Mitchloni Dinauanao and her partner Rodre Yan Rodriguez led the charge in dancesport, claiming five gold medals. UC’s gymnasts, led by Georgina Villaruel, earned four golds, while their swimmers amassed 18 golds. UC also earned three golds in table tennis.
32ND CEBU CITY OLYMPICS
Though the 32nd Cebu City Olympics is not yet officially concluded, as the track events — particularly the long-distance runs and sprints — are scheduled from January 3-5 at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) rubberized oval, which is currently undergoing repairs.
The curing period for the newly placed rubber on the damaged sections of the oval requires one month to complete, forcing the event organizers to reschedule the track events. However, the jumps and throwing events proceeded as originally planned.
The athletes and teams who emerge victorious in this meet will represent Team Cebu City Niños at the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) next year in Bayawan City, continuing the city’s strong legacy in regional sports.