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Tuesday, March 02, 2004
WV Regional Meet formally opens but with woes
By Fernelle C. Rodriguez
* The 335-strong Negros Occidental contingent are defending champions in the elementary and secondary levels
THE Western Visayas Regional Athletics Association Meet opened curtains Sunday at the Biniyaran Sports Complex, in San Jose, Antique to give aspiring student-athletes the venue to showcase their sports prowess.
However, the host province seemed not prepared for the hostilities.
Reports over radio station dyWB Bombo Radyo disclosed that players competing in athletics had to pit their all in a substandard track oval because the rubber material -- the prescribed material -- was not yet installed as promised by the assigned committee of the host province.
Athletes then will have to run in the tracks made of cinder and not the tartan, which is also being used in the Palarong Pambansa, the premier school-based competition.
Worse, meet records broken will not be carried out because there is a different recording standard used in feats achieved in cinder tracks and in feats achieved using tartan tracks.
Coaches will also have to pray that it would not rain during the entire competition.
Nanette Roa, Budget Sports Officer-Division of Negros Occidental, earlier said the problem was the main reason why the host province asked for an extension of staging the hostilities.
However, there have been shortcomings in the completion of the venues.
Athletics will have to be competed, temporarily, at the Antique National High School while the rubber material is being installed.
Events like boxing, baseball, archery, softball and other batted games will be held at the Biniyaran Sports Complex while football and badminton will be held at St. Anthony School.
Events in swimming will be battled in the Olympic-size pool at the Biniyaran Sports complex.
Volleyball and lawn tennis will be staged at the San Jose public plaza.
Seventeen sports disciplines are to be competed.
The Negros contingent is comprised of 335 athletes from the elementary and high school divisions, along with the coaches, chaperons and officials.
The regional meet's keynote speaker was Sen. Robert Jaworski who is also the chairman of the Senate committee on games and amusements.
Competing provinces are Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Guimaras, Negros Occidental and Antique.
(March 1, 2004 issue)
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