Bigger, better MYG next year

The first Manila Youth Games has yet to come to a close but the organizing Manila Sports Council (Masco) has already laid plans of holding a bigger, better staging of the event next year.

Masco chairman Ali Atienza, son of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, told The STAR that they are planning to include more events in the current list of 12 sports disciplines to next year’s MYG.

Atienza, head of the Manila delegation that took home the 2001 Batang Pinoy overall title, said among the sports Masco is considering to include in next year’s calendar are boxing, karatedo, wushu, arnis, baseball and sepak takraw.

"We hope to ride on the success of the first MYG by staging a more exciting second edition next year," said Atienza. "We would definitely add some more sports like boxing, wushu, karatedo, arnis, sepak takraw and probably baseball."

Atienza is also seeking to expand the MYG in terms of participation and attract more corporate sponsorships aside from help they are getting from the Philippine Sports Commission, Pagcor, WG&A Super Ferry and Smart.

"If possible, we would like to increase MYG participation from 3,000 this year to possibly 3,500 to 4,000 next year," said Atienza. "And of course, we’ll try our best to attract more sponsorships."

Meanwhile, Alejandro Albert Elementary School romped away with the overall title in athletics by bagging seven of the 10 gold medals contested yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Their strong showing on the field enabled the AAE athletes to hike their gold medal haul to 17.

Delivering seven gold medals were Rose Anne Trinidad (50-m dash), Karen Abalos (baseball throw), Mark Henry Roxas (high jump), Daryl Caballos (200-m dash), Christine Delfin (200-m dash), and its boys’ and girls’ 4x100 m relay teams.

Nelson Palao of District 2 (50-m dash), Randolph Hernandez of Zone 13 (baseball throw) and Junnesse Pearl Paulite of Lakandula Elementary School (high jump) won the three gold medals AAES failed to capture in the final day of athletics competition.

In other fronts, Nelson Mariano III, the youngest of the famous chess-playing Mariano siblings, of University of the East ruled the boys’ 12-and-under chess crown by beating via tiebreak Amran Ezra Rivas of F. Guerrero Elementary School.

Other chess winners were Kathleen Anne Mendoza of District 3 (girls’ 12-and-under), unattached Fronda siblings Jude Emil (boys’ 10-and-under) and Jan Jodilyn (girls’ 10-and-under).