RP Olympicfest final kicks off in C de Oro

Some 3,000 athletes from 52 local government units all over the country will converge today in the finale of the third Philippine Olympic Festival at the newly refurbished Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Complex in Cagayan de Oro City.

Regional champions Manila, Baguio, Zamboanga City, Negros Oriental, Laguna, Negros Oriental, Iloilo and General Santos City lead the cast in this five-day National Championships set to provide competition for potential national athletes.

Host Misamis Oriental Gov. Oscar Moreno and POF chairman Robert Aventajado will usher in the event in elaborate opening rites that would feature Mindanao-Christians, Muslims and Lumads.

“With all the regional champions coming here, we expect to discover young talents,” said Aventajado, the outgoing Philippine Olympic Committee chair who also heads the country’s taekwondo association.

Participants will battle it out in about 20 sports including Olympic events track and field, swimming, archery, taekwondo, football and badminton.

Also on tap in this multi-sports meet backed by The Philippine STAR, Globe, Pagcor, Philippine Sports Commission, AMA, Summit Natural Drinking Water, Accel and Negros Navigation are chess, powerlifting, judo, karatedo, softball, baseball, table tennis, basketball, sepak takraw, indoor and beach volleyball.

The main venue will have a new rubberized track that should make centerpiece athletics all the more interesting, a renovated Olympic-size pool center and a brand-new beach volleyball sand court.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. is expected to attend the opening ceremony along with board members Manny Lopez of boxing, Julian Camacho of wushu and Steve Hontiveros of bowling.

Volleyball’s Pedro Mendoza, judo’s Dave Carter, muay’s Robert Valdez and sepak takraw’s Mario Tanchangco are the National Sports Association heads who will also grace the inaugurals.