Visayas athletes face tough challenge

CEBU, Philippines - The cheers have already subsided, records were broken and medals were hauled, but the top performers of the 2009 Milo Little Olympics-Visayas Games are far from taking a break as they gear up for the first ever National Championships of one of country’s best-run developmental sports competition at the Cebu City Sports Center on October 23 to 25.

It’s a tall order for the Visayas athletes being the host but they are not only expected to be gracious, but also to bring out the best in them as they defend their home turf.

And with barely a month to prepare, there is no time to be wasted.

Luckily for the Cebuanos, they enjoy the so-called ‘homecourt advantage’. They must not take their opponents lightly though as they are going up against the best of the best players from all over the country.

Event organizer Ricky Ballesteros said that Team Visayas, which will be called Team Bisdaks (Bisayang Dako), will be formally introduced to the public on September 27.

Meanwhile, the outstanding achievers in both the elementary and secondary divisions during the Visayas Finals will formally be feted in a simple awarding ceremony this Saturday afternoon at the SM City-Cebu Entertainment Center.

The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, the undisputed champion in the secondary level since the inception of the MLO Visayas 14 years ago, owns three Most Outstanding Athlete (MOA) plaques courtesy of Vlessica Jagna in athletics, Irish Mae Ares in badminton and Dannel Jay Tormis in table tennis.

The University of the Visayas (UV) and Abellana National School (ANS) also have three mainstays each in the MOA list. They are Kirsten Silverio and Karen Sthea Velez (gymnastics) and Joy Policher (scrabble) for UV and Rhey Jey Ortouste (sepak takraw), Carlito Abadia Jr. (football) and Queenelyn Torres (chess) for ANS.

The University of San Carlos (USC) has two MOA recipient in Loren Dale Echavez (swimming) and Keith Brian Fernandez (taekwondo) in the same way with the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) in Jill Elaine Ugbinada (scrabble) and Joseph Grel Tallo (lawn tennis).

The rest of the MOA honorees are Jana Marie Pages of Bright Academy (lawn tennis),Pomeroy Mark Veloso (football), Anthony Linn Navarro of Cebu Eastern College (swimming), Talamban Elementary School’s Rozel Ardiente (athletics), Fritz Michael Sagaad of Banilad Elementary School (badminton), Vic Glysen Derotas of Camp Lapu-Lapu (chess), Amiel Rey Garret Yu of Inawayan Elementary School (sipa), Jeramae Saromines of Cebu City Central School (table tennis), Veronica Garces of FBC Christian School (taekwondo), Mariel Menchavez of Catmon Central Elementary School (volleyball), and Pajo National High School’s Athena Sucalit (volleyball). – THE FREEMAN