Batang Pinoy unfolds in Tacloban 10 golds at stake in day one

MANILA, Philippines - Action in the  Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy 2012 Visayas leg begins today with 10 gold medals up for grabs at the Leyte Sports Development Center in Tacloban City, Leyte.

With the Visayas region a traditional power in athletics, keen competition is seen with a number of stars expected to emerge from the week-long meet featuring young student-athletes from Western, Central and Eastern Visayas.

Twelve other sports are slated in the event, including girls’ softball, dance sports and weightlifting which will serve as national finals.

Boys and girls finals competitions are also on tap today for 13-under and 14-15 years in 5,000-meter, 2,000m long jump, shot put, high jump, and 2,000m walk.

PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez graced the opening rites yesterday with Energy Sec. Carlos Jericho Petilla, who served the province’s as governor before being recently appointed for Cabinet position, led the local officials who welcomed the participating athletes. Newly installed Gov. Ma. Mimietta Bagulaya delivered the welcome remarks.

Others who graced the event were Vice Gov. Florante Cayunda Jr., and students from Eastern Visayas State University Air Force Cadets, Tacloban Angelicum, Learning Center, and Leyte IDOL champion Charise Daya and runner-up Carlo Martin Igot.

Other sports on tap are arnis, badminton, boxing, chess, karatedo, lawn tennis, taekwondo, table tennis and swimming.

Gomez, who represented PSC chair Richie Garcia, said the meet serves as “training opportunity” for local government units in staging sporting events which they could use as the agency starts promoting regional sports.

The PSC revived the Batang Pinoy program two years ago for athletes 15 years old and below which Gomez said is meant to supplement the grassroots development for national sports associations.

The two athletes per event will join the other qualifiers of the other regional meets in the national finals set Dec. 5-9 in Iloilo City.