22ND Cebu City Olympics, Let the games begin

CEBU, Philippines - The extensive selection process for the city's representatives to Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet gets underway as hostilities of the 22nd Cebu City Olympics begin today in different venues.

A total of 20 sporting disciplines will be contested in the three-day joust wherein the top performers will get a chance to don the Cebu City colors in the regional qualifying of the Palarong Pambansa set in the first week of December in Dumaguete City.

The medal-rich athletics and swimming events will be played at the Cebu City Sports Center as well as the boxing, chess, and dancesport competition.

Archery will be staged at the Cebu City National Science High School, arnis at the University of San Carlos (USC)-South Campus, badminton and taekwondo at Southwestern University, baseball at Labangon ES and Don Vicente Rama Memorial NHS, basketball at Punta Princesa and Brgy. Mambaling Sports Complex, football at the USC-TC in Talamban, and gymnastics at the Guadalupe Sports Complex.

Karatedo and lawn tennis will be at Baseline, sepak takraw and softball at Labangon ES, tabble tennis at the University of Cebu (UC)-Main Campus, and volleyball at Tejero, Lahug and Bo. Luz ES for the elementary division and University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) for the secondary level.

Meanwhile, April Smith of Abellana National School finally got the crown she missed last year after being adjudged as the Miss Cebu City Olympics in the secondary level. She also bagged the Miss Personality award.

Dancesport athlete Pearl Marie Cañeda of the Cebu Normal University claimed the first runner-up honors as well as the best in production number, while Ginafe Hisanan of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation placed second runner-up.

Jessa Marie Santos of USPF was the fairest in the elementary division, while St. Paul Learning Foundation’s Sophi Nouel Tan and Labangon’s Laetitia Pangilinan were first and second runners-up, respectively.

 Zartiga was named Miss Personality, while Pangilinan was best in production.

Aside from Smith’s victory, ANS also bagged two special awards - the most lively and most disciplined delegation.

North District 1 was the most colorful and most disciplined among elementary entries, while North District 6 was the secondary level’s most colorful contingent.

City Central School, on the other hand, bounced back from a heart-breaking loss in the last Milo Little Olympics by topping the cheerdance competition, an event held in lieu of DepEd’s traditional palabas or field demonstration.

City Central School bested Zapatera Elementary School for the top spot, while St. Paul College Foundation ranked third.

Mayor Michael Rama, who came in late during the turnover of donation by the US Embassy for the city’s beach volleyball program, was a no-show in yesterday’s opening.

The organizers delayed the program hoping for Rama's presence, but to no avail.

Without Rama, CCSC chairman Edward Hayco led the unveiling of the Guinness World Record certificate gained by Cebu City for establishing the world's biggest chess tournament (board game category) with 43,157 participants who are mostly students.

“We encourage the dedicated public teachers to continue providing the transformational experience whether it is a Guiness  Record or a simple sports workshop as long as the experience make your children believe in themselves,” said Hayco. (FREEMAN)