MANILA, Philippines - The National Finals of the 2015 Milo Little Olympics unfolds this weekend with over 2,000 athletes who made the grade via the grueling regional qualifiers battling it out for top honors at the San Luis Sports Complex in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
“We expect nothing less than a benchmark year,” said Milo sports executive Robbie de Vera during yesterday’s event launch at Shakey’s in Malate.
This year’s edition will be the biggest in terms of participation after the organizers added more regional elims in the run-up to the national finals featuring student-athletes in the elementary and secondary divisions.
In fact, Luzon has been split into North and Central, the National Capital Region to NCR and South Luzon, the Visayas to Regions 6, 8 and 9 and Mindanao now represented by Caraga.
Bannering the national finals cast are Corpus Christi, San Beda-Rizal, Dasmariñas II Central School, Baguio City National High School, Camp 7 Elementary School, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and University of San Carlos.
Host Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez will officially usher in the event and welcome the student-athletes in elaborate rites tomorrow.
“It is with open arms and honor that the provincial government of Laguna hosts this prestigious event and we welcome all the delegates and student-athletes,” said Hernandez.
Hostilities will be in badminton, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, sepak takraw and scrabble while arnis and karatedo made their debut this year.
The competition underscores Milo’s long-time commitment to help the country’s talent-search for the next generation of sports heroes.