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Monday, May 08, 2006
NCR gymnast wins Palaro’s first gold
By Frank C. Calapre
Sun.Star Correspondent
NAGA City – Gymnast Mage Wagan of the National Capital Region (NCR) captured the first gold yesterday in the 58th Palarong Pambansa, which opened before a huge crowd at the Metro Naga Sports Complex in Barangay Pacol here.
The 13-year-old Wagan showed the form that made her the darling of the Manila Youth Games for three straight years as she captured the gold in the rope event of the high-school gymnastics competition at the University of the Nueva Caceres Gym.
De Castro
The in-coming second year student of Jose Abad Santos High bested 14 other contenders in the closely fought gymnastics event, which offered a total off 26 golds both in the Elementary and Secondary divisions in the first day.
Other results were not yet available at press time.
Vice President Noli de Castro yesterday asked the 4,000 athletes from 17 regions throughout the country to strive harder in sports so they can proudly carry the Philippine flag in the international arena someday.
“You are the future sports heroes in our country,” said de Castro, the guests speaker of the elaborate opening rites in place of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is on a state visit in Saudi Arabia.
Guests
Aside from De Castro, other guests who graced the ceremonies were Senators Francis Pangilinan and Joker Arroyo, who hails from Baao, Camarines Sur, Budget Secretary Nonoy Andaya Jr., Department of Education (DepEd) acting secretary Fe Hidalgo, host Mayor Jesse Robredo, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez and PSC commissioner Leon Montemayor.
With 23 records, seven in athletics and 16 in swimming, erased last year in Iloilo City, Hidalgo hopes more will be established this year as they are preparing for the composition of the Team Philippines in the 2006 Asian School Sports Federation in November in India.
“We are hoping our participation in the Asian School Sports meet will inspire our student-athletes to strive for better records,” said Hidalgo.
In the boys high school basketball, defending champion NCR-bannered by UAAP champion University of Sto. Tomas Golden Nuggets served notice of its title-retention bid by slaughtering Region IV-A, 92-62, at the open MNSC court.
Action continues today with a total of 32 final events, six in athletics at the MNSC oval and 26 in gymnastics at the University of Nueva Caceres Gym.
The annual Palaro applies the point system to determine the overall champion at the end of the seven-day competitions. Each individual event champion is given seven points, while champions in baseball, football, softball and volleyball receive 25 points each.
“We encourage all regions to also give equal importance to team events. If we only give one gold to sports events then they might as well focus only on individual events,” said Len Toledo, Task Force Palaro chief.
The Palaro fever caught the eager interest of Davao City, which joined Socsargen (South Cotabato, Sarangani and Gen. Santos City), Tubod in Lanao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro City and Zamboanga City in the bidding for the hosting of the 2007 edition.
Sources said that Mayor Rudy Duterte is set to begin construction of the 20-hectare state-of-the-art sports complex, which will cost P200 million.
“It will be finished in December just in time for the 2007 Palaro,” said the source, who requested not to be named.
Hidalgo said that the multi-event meet will be held in Mindanao next year following the traditional Visayas-Luzon-Mindanao rotation. It was held in Tubod, Lanao del Norte in 2004 and Iloilo City in 2005.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 8, 2006 issue)
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