Milo Little Olympics unfolds today

CEBU, Philippines - The country’s biggest and best-run developmental sports competition, the 2009 Milo Little Olympics, will formally blast off with an elaborate opening ceremony this afternoon at the Cebu City Sports Center. Over 200 schools from all of the Visayas are all set for action in the two-weekend tilt sponsored by Nestle Philippines.

Among the highlights of today’s kick-off bash is the traditional cheerdance and the selection for best muse. Special awards will also be given away to the loudest cheer, biggest delegation, most disciplined, and best in parade and saludo.

Multi-titled swimmer Loren Dale Echavez will light the urn of peace and unity, while table tennis standout Dannel Jay Tormis will lead the oath of sportsmanship.

This year’s edition will be different from the previous meets as MLO will not only have the regional qualifying, but also the first ever national championships.

The Milo Little Olympics started in 1988 in Manila and was expanded to Cebu in 1995.

Since then, the MLO-Visayas has evolved into one of the highly-anticipated sporting events among the local athletes.

“I’m proud to say that the Visayas Games is the biggest in the country,” said Milo Sports executive director Pat Goc-ong in a press conference yesterday at the CCSC Function Room.

Local organizer Ricky Ballesteros as well as the different tournament managers involved said that more schools are joining the tournament because it does not only serve as a selection process for the so-called “Battle of the Best” but also because the overall championship will be decided by points and not by medals.

The points system that will be utilized in the Little Olympics action is patterned after that of the Palarong Pambansa last year.

“It is anybody’s ballgame now. The more events the school will be joining in, the more chances they get to win the title. It’s not a one-sided game anymore,” said Ballesteros.

The sporting disciplines that will be contested include the medal-rich athletics and swimming, badminton, chess, scrabble, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, sipa, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

Contest proper will commence tomorrow yet in several venues. – THE FREEMAN