TARGETING another most outstanding athlete (Moa) diadem is one thing, but swimmer Paula Abigail Vega is giving herself a tougher challenge this year as the swimming competitions of the 13th Milo Little Olympics blasts off at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Swimming and gymnastics will be the centerpieces in today’s resumption of the Milo games.
Vega of University of Cebu, who won three golds last year that gave her the Moa, pushes herself not just to repeat that feat this year, but also to break records, which had not been touched for years.
“It is hard to break a record, but we are trying. The least that we are targeting is another Moa,” said Vega’s head coach Rolando Alvarez.
Alvarez said that Vega is prepping to reset the record in the 400 individual medley. The current record is five minutes, 43.98 seconds, made in 1996 by Khawinda Khun of Cebu International School.
This is just one of the 18 records in the Milo Little Olympics that are left untouched since the meet started in 1996.
Vega also wants to take a shot at the 400 m free record, which used to be Khun’s but was broken by University of San Carlos’ Loren Dale Echavez. Echavez could not longer compete in Milo after taking part in an international stint last year.
UV gymnastics
Meanwhile, the University of the Visayas will try to once more make a surprising come-from-behind victory in the elementary division.
UV’s chances hinges on the powerhouse gymnastics squad of coach Darlene Dela Pisa, whose gymnasts pulled enough stops to collar the heart-stopping victory last year.
Much like last year, UV is nowhere in the ranking after the first weekend of competitions, but made a complete turnaround, when they swept the events in the elementary division in gymnastics.
Dela Pisa is banking on Palarong Pambansa gold medal winner Tracy Badonio, to lead the charge in the rhythmic gymastics.
Badonio won a gold and a silver medal in the Puerto Princesa Palarong Pambansa this year, and was the Milo Most Outstanding Athlete for sweeping six gold medals last year. (MCB)
