Huge turnout seen in Unigames

MANILA, Philippines - A record number of schools and teams is expected to participate in this year’s Philippine Sports Commission (PSC)-backed University Games (Unigames) set to start Oct. 24 in Dumaguete.

The week-long event, now on its 15th season, will be hosted by Silliman U and supported by Dumaguete City, Valencia, Zamboanguita, and the Negros Oriental provincial government.

Seeing action are 250 teams from around 50 colleges and universities from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including UAAP basketball three-peat champion Ateneo which will defend the crown it won in Iloilo City last year.

Events on tap this year aside from basketball are volleyball, football, swimming, lawn tennis, badminton, chess, sepak takraw, softball, archery, beach volleyball, table tennis and athletics.

Among the other schools competing in the annual event are FEU, UST, College of St. Benilde, De La Salle, UE, UP-Diliman, Adamson, San Beda College, National U, Rizal Technological U, and Philippine Christian U from Metro Manila. Cebu is represented by the Southwestern U, University of Cebu, University of the Visayas, University of Southern Philippines, Colegio de San Jose-Recoletos, and the University of San Carlos.

Among the other provincial schools are University of Iloilo, University of St. La Salle in Bacolod, Western Institute of Technology, Central Philippines U, Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de Zamboanga, Mindanao State U, University of Mindanao, Holy Cross Davao, St. Louis U, Angeles University Foundation, and local schools Foundation, St. Paul University and Negros Oriental State U.

Also included is the Unigames sports science seminar sponsored by Bodivance and hosted by Silliman University. The seminar, which will be free of charge, will be for the benefit of the school coaches participating in the event.

Resource speakers include Luchie Callanta, Hercules Callanta, and Niño Sinco, who will be talking on sports nutrition, fluid guidelines for performance training, and conditioning.