CVIRAA finishes fourth overall in Palaro

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – The Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) ended its week-long campaign in the 2009 Palarong Pambansa at fourth place overall here at the Leyte Sports Development Center.

CVIRAA stayed at fourth place both the secondary and elementary divisions with 215.17 points behind powerhouse National Capital Region (NCR) with 588.34 points, West Visayas with 460.07 points and CALABARZON with 382.05.

In the secondary division alone, NCR grabbed 279.67 points followed by CALABARZON with 255.5 points, Western Visayas with 252.57 and Central Visayas with 106.17.

The fifth to 10th placers were Cotabato (102.5), Davao (101.67), Central Luzon (84), Northern Mindanao (80), Cordillera Administrative Region (36.5) and MIMAROPA (33.34).

In the elementary class, NCR posted 308.06 points while West Visayas had 209 points. CALABARZON nailed 127 points followed by CVIRAA with 109 points, just a point ahead of Cotabato. The sixth to 10th were DAVRAA (63.6), NMRAA (60.5), CLRAA (40.5), ZPRAA (38.5) and MIMAROPA (36.5).

CVIRAA had the same gold medal haul as last year with 14 that went along with 18 silvers and 34 bronzes.

Ed Adrian Parangan bagged the gold in elementary tennis singles, while the Catmon Elementary School volleybelles completed a grandslam finish in girls volleyball.

The sepak takraw artists from Cebu Province, particularly from Sta.Fe, made a surprising performance when they won the secondary division title after finishing only sixth last year.

Swimmer Loren Dale Echavez went home with two golds via the 200m and 800m freestyle events.

Daniel Noval of Mandaue City stole part of the spotlight as he was crowned as Palaro’s fastest man following a double gold in the secondary athletics via the 100m and 200m run.

The likes of Gia Bucag and Mylene Alforque also handed over golds in athletics through javelin and triple jump, respectively, while table netter Dannel Jay Tormis dominated the table tennis singles. Brian Fernandez claimed CVIRAA’s lone gilt in taekwondo.

The other medals came from badminton, gymnastics, swimming, taekwondo,lawn tennis,archery, arnis. - THE FREEMAN