Boloto, Sabornido shine in Milo tilt

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

OVERALL bronze winner for the third-straight year, Mindanao team produced at least two Most Outstanding Athletes in the 3rd Milo Little Olympics National Finals held recently in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Corpus Christi Grade School's Gabby Boloto breezed through the opening round match-up via a sensational win by knockout over an opponent from the National Capitol Region en route to taking her back-to-back most valuable player (MVP) award in taekwondo event.

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Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School's Dominic "King" Sabornido, meanwhile, harvested seven medals on the pool -- including three golds -- to be adjudged MVP in secondary boys' swimming rivalry.

"It was so much blessings from above for her to win the honor for the second time around in a national level competition. We're so happy we can't ask for more," Gabby's father Oboy Boloto told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Under the training supervision of coach Arlito Rivera, Sabornido's discipline, growth spurt and sheer determination were factors cited for his impressive performance.

And King's equally supportive father Renan sees it as a better chance for his son to enjoy good education in college.

"Nakatabang og dako iyang pagtaas. And since last na niya this year sa high school, we're still weighing our option whether to have him study in Manila or dire lang sa Xavier University kay naa man gihapoy scholarship program," the elder Sabornido said.

From lording it over in the overall title, the Visayas squad, otherwise known as Bisdaks, however, dominated also in the individual feats, producing 19 of the 25 recipients for the MVP citations.

More than 1,500 student-athletes, who ruled the regional qualifiers, saw action in 12 Milo sports, including athletics, badminton, chess, football, gymnastics, scrabble, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

"We are giving the young athletes the chance to show what they've got in a high-level national competition of champions," said Nestle assistant vice president and Milo sports executive Pat Goc-Ong.

"We want them to experience competition at the top level while getting a chance to meet children from different backgrounds, because we build champions not only in sports but also in the bigger arena called life," Goc-Ong added.