CVIRAA Meet kicks off today

CEBU, Philippines – The region’s premiere school-based sporting event, the 2015 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet, unfurls today at the E.S. Binghay Memorial Sports Oval in Balamban, Cebu.

Perennial champion Cebu City Niños will begin their quest for overall supremacy as they are hoping to rake in as many gold medals as possible.

The Cebu City Niños has dominated this multi-sporting event for over two decades now and they have no plans in giving it up.

Cebu Province though is hoping to make some surprises especially that they just rebuilt their sports commission and also being the host of the regional meet. The last time Cebu Province hosted the CVIRAA was way back in 2005 in Dumanjug.

Most of the games will be held in Balamban except the swimming event which is going to take place at the Cebu City Sports Center. Billeting quarters for the 19 schools delegation are spread to neighboring towns since Balamban could not accommodate everybody.

Aside from Cebu City and Cebu Province, other competing delegations are Mandaue City,Talisay, Naga, Carcar, Toledo, Bogo, Danao, Lapu-Lapu, Tagbilaran, Bais, Dumaguete, Tanjay, Guihulngan  and Bayawan along with the provinces of Bohol, Siquijor, and  Negros Oriental.

The five- day athletic meet serves as the region's qualifying for the prestigious Palarong Pambansa happening this summer in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Among the events to be contested in the multi-event gathering are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess,football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, sepak takraw junior, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

There are also four demo sports that include futsal for secondary girls, billiards, wrestling and wushu. A SPED Olympics will also be held for those under the Special Education Program of DepEd.

Meanwhile, an opening ceremony will happen tomorrow at the E.S. Binghay Memorial Sports Oval. (FREEMAN)