Puerto Princesa welcomes 15,000 guests

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan—This city known the world over for its rich sea life and sanctuaries welcomed the youth from all parts of the country in an explosive show of color and dance as the 2008 Palarong Pambansa came off the wraps yesterday at the Ramon V. Mitra, Jr. Sports Complex here.

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn led the city in colorful opening rites watched by more than 15,000 athletes, coaches and officials and thousands of local folks of this island province.

Action officially starts today in the centerpiece event of athletics where NCR, the overall champion in both the elementary and high school level, is expected to face tough opposition from perennial rivals Western Visayas and Calabarzon.

Seventeen sports  were calendared in the week-long games – including softball, swimming, boxing, football and volleyball –  all scheduled at the main complex.

Chess and taekwondo will be held on the Palawan State U campus, gymnastics at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum, archery at TESDA grounds, arnis at Wescom Gym, badminton at Powerzone, baseball and table  tennis at Palawan National High School and sepak takraw at People’s Amphitheater.

Medal rich swimming will stake a whopping 56 gold medals – 16 on Tuesday, 12 each on Wednesday and Thursday and 16 on Friday.

But focus is expected to fall heavily on boxing, where new talents are expected to be discovered for the country’s first Olympic medal, at the Puerto Princesa City Bay Walk, better  known here as “Baybay.”

So far, the weather turned out fair, sparing thousands in the complex of heat stroke that  caused two deaths in last year’s Palarong Pambansa.

The inaugurals were highlighted with several ethnic and modern production numbers and a fireworks display that lit up the city skies in the gathering dusk.