Cebu City keeps on mining golds

CEBU, Philippines - Perennial champions Cebu City Niños got seven golds from wrestling even without breaking a sweat and hauled six more gilts in gymnastics as action in the 2017 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet goes full blast today mainly at the Doring Mendiola Sr. Sports Complex in Naga City south of Cebu.

They are supposed to compete on Thursday yet but the Niños automatically gained seven golds in wrestling, which is now a regular event in the Palarong Pambansa, as no one dared to challenge them.

“Only Cebu City submitted entries in wrestling. I also don’t know what happened to Mandaue when they even sent a coach during a seminar in Tagum. It’s not Cebu City’s fault if they do not have opponents, so they get the golds right away. For the rest to know what this sport is all about, we will hold a demonstration on Thursday where the Niños will showcase their skills,” said tournament manager Roland Rondez.

Aside from wrestling, the Niños also got a free ride in 3-on-3 basketball for the Palaro in Antique this April, according to the city's athletic coordinator Zenaida Gocotano because the other delegations did not follow the rules set by DepEd on 3-on-3 basketball.

3-on-3 basketball though is still a demo sport in CVIRAA, thus, its supposed gold medal for the Niños could not be counted in the overall tally as well as that of pencak silat, dancesport and aero gymnastics.

Overall, the Niños have garnered 39 golds, 18 silvers, and 11 bronzes after three days of action. The bulk of their medal haul came from gymnastics with a 32-18-11 tally.

    Daniela de la Pisa sealed the secondary gymnastics event with three more golds via the ball, clubs and individual all-around. Marriane Alegado got all silvers in the events ruled by De la Pisa, while their other teammate Alex Cruz  reaped four bronze medals.

In the elementary level, Tereshia Rhosse Regner added three golds for Cebu City through the same events as that of De la Pisa.

In the medal rankings, Cebu City is safely ahead of Lapu-Lapu City, which is a distant second with a 6-7-3 g-s-b count followed by Danao City with two golds and as many silvers laced with one bronze.

The week-long CVIRAA Meet will be in full swing today. Athletics and football will take place at the rubberized over of the sports complex, archery and batted sports at the Balili property in Tina-an, arnis in Tangke’s covered court, badminton at Naga’s badminton center, which is located near the venues for swimming, tennis and boxing competitions.

Chess will be contested at the Val 2020 Hall of the city hall, sepak takraw in Lutac, basketball at the Enan Chiong Activity Center (secondary boys), Tina-an covered court (elementary boys), and Apo Cemex gym (secondary girls), the secondary boys volleyball and table tennis at Naga Central School, volleyball at Naalad covered court (elem. boys) and Inayagan Activity Center (secondary girls), billiards at the Naga Food Court, futsal at Apo Cemex, while boxing, taekwondo, wushu and wrestling will be at the Baywalk covered courts. (FREEMAN)