Manila names 15 youth bets to Ohio meet

A delegation of no more than 15 athletes will represent Manila in the 2004 International Children’s Games set July 29 to Aug. 2 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Only the best and the finest performers in the recent third Manila Youth Games, headed by eight-gold medal winner Emerlyn Roselle Illescas, will make up the city contingent aptly named Team Manila-Philippines, announced Manila Sports Council chair Arnold "Ali" Atienza.

Saying the selection committee was still scanning the records of performances of the candidates, Atienza, who appeared as guest in yesterday’s SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session, mentioned two other names–swimmers Ryan Arabejo and Tessa Alcantara–as shoo-ins to the team.

"This is only the first time that Manila was invited to take part in the ICG so we want to send only a few but strong enough to win gold medals to make an initial impact in this MY Games’ debut in the global scene," the son of Manila Mayor Jose "Lito" Atienza Jr. reasoned out.

Illescas, a 14-year-old campaigner representing Dr. Albert Elementary School in Sampaloc, ran and jumped her way to winning the individual gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters as well as the long jump, high jump and triple jump to emerge as the most outstanding athlete in the one-week event among the city’s 15-under athletes.