Manilans poised to dominate Unigames

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Sports Commission-University Games (PSC-UniGames) opens its 15th edition at the Cimafranca Field of host venue Silliman University with Metro Manila teams seeking to extend their reign in the annual meet.

Organizers said 265 teams from 47 schools from Metro Manila, Northern, Southern, and Central Luzon, Mindanao, Central and Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas, and local squads will compete in 13 disciplines.

Metro Manila teams dominated their provincial opponents in last year’s meet in Ioilo City, winning 20 of the events contested in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

 Leading the Manilans charge were volleyball double champions UST, which also ruled women’s athletics and football. Its feat was duplicated by Rizal Technological University winning both divisions in taekwondo, the men’s athletics, and sepak takraw.

Centerpiece event men’s basketball had Ateneo de Manila beating FEU in the finals while Adamson University snared the women’s crown. Both teams are defending their titles this year. College of St. Benilde held sway in men’s chess, and women’s table tennis even as it scored a double in lawn tennis.

San Beda College and UP-Diliman overwhelmed the other schools in the men’s and women’s divisions of swimming, respectively. Other winners from the Big City in 2009 were UE in men’s badminton, FEU in women’s chess and table tennis, and Adamson in women’s softball. Most of the Metro Manila teams are also around this year.

The other winners in the tournament hosted by Negros Oriental and the City of Dumaguete and sponsored this year by the PSC, TAO Corporation, Mikasa, Sandugo Sandals, Molten, Red Bull, Gatorade, Butterfly, and USLS Varsity Sports Share, were La Salle-Dasmariñas in beach volleyball, and provincial teams Iloilo Doctors College in women’s badminton, Western Negros University in men’s football, and University of Southern Philippines Foundation in men’s beach volleyball.

PSC commissioner Chito Loyzaga, meanwhile, is the special guest at the very first Bodivance-sponsored UniGames Sports Science seminar to be held two days before the opening for the benefit of the coaches present for the event with Silliman University as venue.