Thursday, April 17, 2008 NM prides won't go home empty-handed By Lynde Salgados
EVEN with the departure of its key players to higher level, the Northern Mindanao delegation is quite confident it won't be going home empty-handed in the 2008 Palarong Pambansa.
The 400-strong NMRAA squad sails off for Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Wednesday, determined to put up a strong fight despite the absence of table tennis ace Ian Nietes Lariba and lawn tennis stalwart Francis Casey Alcantara among other sure gold hitters.
The 17-year-old Alcantara of Xavier University has now transformed into a high-caliber athlete prominently campaigning in international junior events. While the 13-year-old Lariba, a freshman student of Corpus Christi high school, eventually became the youngest member of the national training pool. She's the country's top table tennis player in junior class and currently No.2 in the senior ranks.
"We're running out of talents kay naay over-qualified na unya ang uban like kadtong Oclarit nga naka-triple golds last year gi-pirate na dayon sa Manila," said Elnora Alngohuro, who just passed the baton to Raymund Antolo as the new regional director of the Bureau of Physical Education for School Sports (BPESS-10).
Whatever, there are few sports disciplines that hold a big promise for NMRAA's cause.
The CDO taekwondo jins, who racked up a combined 14 golds during the Palarong Pampook here at Pelaez Sports Center, vow to sustain their winning forms in the Palaro ladder.
Bannered by the fivesome of Josafat John Licayan, Jivir Pontanosas, Mark Louise Luminarias, Ernest John Mendoza and Kevin Louise Sia, the NMRAA's taekwondo bets will try to duplicate their four-gold exploit last year in Koronadal Palaro.
"We even expect more than that since we prepared them well," coach George Arsenal told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Minus the awe-inspiring presence of Lariba, the NMRAA table tennis netters remain to be a force to reckon with as well as the region's track and field hopefuls in secondary level not to mention the well-trained amateur boxers from the province of Misamis Oriental.
"We're not also discounting the capability of our basketball squad kay improving sila," added Alngohuro, referring to the fancied charges of coach Boy Dacoco from Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori School (SHJMS).
The NMRAA team is expected to arrive today in Palawan where the powerhouse NCR juggernauts will be defending their throne in the much-awaited April 20-26 Palaro competitions.
