Perpetual, Benilde win in Singapore cheerleading

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help and College of St. Benilde put on worthy performances as they raked in a combined four gold medals and a silver in the Asian Invitational Cheerleading Championships in Singapore over the weekend.

The Perps reigned supreme in the Coed Premier, Coed Elite and Group Stunts category while settling for silver in Partner Stunts to emerge the best performing school in the annual event, sanctioned by the International Cheer Union or the world governing body of the sport, which drew top-notch teams from 10 countries.

The Blazing Animo, for their part, capped the Phl’s impressive effort by winning the gold in the All-Girls’ Elite category.

It was another big feat by Perpetual Help, which topped the recent NCAA cheerdance and finished second in the National Collegiate Cheerleading Championships.

“This is the fourth year that teams from the Phl have competed in this annual championship. Being there is an honor itself, winning makes it sweeter,” said Itos Valdez, head of the National Cheerleading Championship, the only recognized national sports association for cheerleading in the country.

Meanwhile, the Philippines is bracing for the ICU Worlds at the ESPN Sports Complex in Walt Disney in Orlando, Florida next month.

It will mark the first time that a Phl team will be competing in the said event, considered as the Olympics of cheerleading with over 100 hundred nations expected to participate.

As this developed, the NCAA has also submitted its formal bid to host the first Asian Universities and Schools Championships in November this year.