CL eyes volleyball sweep in 2012 Palarong Pambansa

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Central Luzon is eyeing for a sweep in the volleyball events of the 2012 Palarong Pambansa which is scheduled from May 6 to 12 in Pangasinan.

In an interview, Department of Education (DepEd) regional special events and services unit chief Gerry Bognot said: “Our elementary boys and girls and secondary boys and girls squads for that sport are primed up for the gold medal after all making the semi-finals last year in Dapitan.”

The volleyball teams consist of athletes coming from the provinces of Bataan and Bulacan and the cities of Angeles, San Fernando, Olongapo, San Jose and San Jose Del Monte.

Bognot added: “Hopes are high for the region’s Palayan City-led secondary boys baseball squad as well due to their exposure to Olympic-level competitions and trainings that were bankrolled by their mayor who is a former member of the national team.”

Central Luzon is fielding a total of 611 athletes to this year’s edition of the country’s premier sporting competition for elementary and high school students which President Benigno Aquino III will formally open on May 7.

Participants from the nation’s 17 administrative regions compete in 17 sports namely volleyball, baseball, football, arnis, athletics, chess, badminton, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, table tennis, basketball, softball, sepak takraw, gymnastics, boxing and archery.

Last year, Central Luzon placed 8th in the overall medal tally with Metro Manila, Western Visayas and Calabarzon ending first, second and third, respectively.