It’s all about fun in STAR mini-Olympics

Strength, endurance and most of all F-U-N. These dominated last Saturday’s Third Mini Olympics Family Day of the STAR Group of Publications at the Amoranto Stadium in Quezon City.

The colors pink, blue, green, orange, yellow and red dotted the stadium as employees belonging to these teams slugged it out on the oval field even under the blazing sun while their families cheered them on.

STAR president and chief executive officer Miguel Belmonte led some 300 fun and game enthusiasts of the STAR family.

In lighting the torch to let the day-long games begin, Belmonte displayed his athletic skills as he gamely ran a 100-kilometer stretch of the oval.

The mini-olympics were held in celebration of the 19th anniversary of the Pilipino STAR Printing Co., sister company of The Philippine STAR.

Highlighting the event was the cheering competition where all teams were at their creative best. But it was the Red Raptors who emerged victorious, followed by the Orange Spurs and Blue Magic.

Before the various sporting events lined up for the festival began, the muses of each color-coded team wowed judges and audience alike with their charm.

But only one had to bring home the best muse plum and it went to Yellow Sonic’s Beth Repizo, assistant sports editor of Pilipino STAR Ngayon (PSN), who was clad in a Venus-cut tanktop and micro-mini skirt.

The Yellow Sonics captured the best team parade prize with their unique barrio-inspired outfit complete with buntings as props.

Unmindful of the scorching summer heat, runners went all-out and tried to outdo each other in the individual fun run contest on the 200-meter stretch oval field.

Winners in the male and female categories were Mario Geocada, copy monitor staff of PSN and Baby Santos, account executive of the Freeman Newspaper, respectively.

Of course, the players’ families also joined in the fun-filled day. Several gamely participated in various games, including the very tiring but amusing "catch-the-dragon-tail" relay as well as the sack race and tug-of-war.

Whether trying to catch their breaths after one event or preparing for the next, participants gulped down plenty of iced tea provided for free by Nestea.

In the cheering competition, the judges were Andy Apostol, officer-in-charge of the Amoranto Stadium, Darlene Rosal, venue manager of SB Gym, and ABS-CBN reporter Gus Abelgas.