Team Visayas sets standard in Milo Little Olympics national finals after winning perpetual trophy

Saturday, December 31, 2011

THE Perpetual Trophy. The trophy that symbolizes dominance. A trophy dangled for whoever wins the national title of the Milo Little Olympics for three straight years. The trophy that will be safely tucked on the shelves of the office of Cebu delegation head Ricky Ballesteros until another team accomplishes the same feat.

Team Visayas completed a grand slam in the Milo Little Olympics last November in Lingayen, Pangasinan, giving justice to all the efforts the athletes and officials have put in to win the perpetual trophy, not just for this year, but for all three national finals.

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“For three years everyone worked hard. This is for the athletes who are here and those who have graduated, coaches and staff, who have made their share in making this a reality,” said Ballesteros.

To say that winning the third overall crown was a daunting task may be an understatement. And it wasn’t because the squad of 300 athletes had to travel for more than 30 hours--by boat and by bus--to get to the host city, Lingayen, but because of the challenge posed by its toughest rival, the National Capital Region. NCR, through its delegation head Robert Milton Calo, promised to do whatever it takes to bring Visayas down and prevent them from bringing home the perpetual trophy.

NCR had a lot of pride at stake as no team has ever beaten them in the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s premier multi-sporting meet for basic education athletes.

But it seems Visayas owns the Milo Little Olympics.

Members of team Visayas kept their eyes on the prize. And the team delivered.

“If makadaog mi karon, makuha na ang perpetual trophy sa Team Visayas,” said a young gymnast training at the mess hall of the boat that brought the delegation to Manila.

The team delivered, scoring 639.5 points to beat NCR by 41 points. Although 41 points may not be much, it was definitely better than the 16.5-point margin the Visayas had over NCR last year.

Best athletes

These athletes put their best foot forward to help the team in this feat. And to prove that, 19 of the 25 Most Outstanding Athletes (MOA) awards were given to athletes from the Visayas team. It is also an improvement over just five MOAs won last year.

Roy Villahermosa, the top hurdler of the University of Cebu , was named the MOA for athletics for having swept the secondary boys hurdles events.

The Visayas players also swept the MOAs in volleyball. Leading the charge was Gretchen Soltones, the top gunner for the Pajo National High School in the secondary girls division. Gwyndharrel Guy of Colegio Del Santo Niño (elementary boys), Willamae Ortega of Catmon Central School (elementary girls) and Kevin Labay of Abellana National School (secondary boys) were the other winners.

Chelsea Cañizares, Viccel John Libradilla, Nathallie Cabaluna and Derold Nick Dampios of the University of San Jose Recoletos scrabble squad were also named MOAs.

Dannel Jay Tormis of UC continued to impress as he won the MOA for table tennis along with Sherly Love Gabisay of Severo Duterte Elementary School, while Southwestern University’s Ryan Jay Doromal and Banilad Elementary School’s Tricia Merced Opon took the badminton MOAs.

Allyssa Mae Bornia of Bright Academy, University of San Carlos’ Arthur Craig Pantino and Fritz Satera won the MOAs for lawn tennis, while Valentino Calvo and Glen Thomas Ramos were the football awardees.

The win could be the biggest accomplishment in the Milo Little Olympics history, enough for the team to rest on its laurels. But that is not the case. In fact, they want nothing less than to improve and make more history.

“This victory just proves that we are stronger, we are bigger. And of course because of this, we now aim higher,” said Ballesteros.