DESPITE failing in her bid to win all the events she took part in, Paula Abigail Vega still undoubtedly pulled off the best performance in the swimming competition of the 13th Milo Little Olympics, which wrapped up Sunday night at the Cebu City Sports Center, to be one of only three athletes to win a back-to-back most outstanding athlete (MOA) award in the sporting meet.
Vega, of University of Cebu won four gold medals and one silver in the individual events and one gold and a silver from the relay events for her to win her second straight MOA of the year award.
Vega showed disappointment the other day, when she failed to win in her final individual event. However, nothing went to waste on her final year in Milo as she not only won another MOA, but left a new swim record in the girls 400 meter medley relay.
A back-to-back MOA seldom happens in Milo because organizers want as much as possible to give others a chance to win. This year, however, three athletes showed “exemplary” performances that merits no less than the most sought after MOA titles.
“We have three athletes, who are back-to-back MOA awardees. These athletes have been impressive and it will not be fair if they weren’t named the best athletes in their fields,” said organizer Ricky Ballesteros.
University of the Visayas gymnast Tracy Badonio is the elementary division MOA for for the second straight year for having swept all of the gold medals in the rhythmic gymnastics event and for virtually lifting UV to its second straight over-all title in Milo.
Another swimmer, Ana Daniella Paraiso of Silliman University, was named the best athlete in the elementary division after winning four gold medals in the individual event.
“I said before Milo started that as much as possible, we will give the Moa to another swimmer this year but for Vega and Paraiso, no other swimmer came close to their medal haul,” said swimming tournament manager Gil Ramas.
The other awardees this year are Mirlou Baring of San Nicolas ES and Jee-Ann Racoma of UC in athletics, Ralph Bonsukan of Banilad ES and Mark Joseph Puentevella of UC in badminton; Pericles Dakay Jr. of Paref-Springdale and Peter Hendrik Bonilla Ricamora of Don Bosco College in football; Badonio and Karen Sthea Velez of UV in gymnastics; Ed Adrian Parangan of Nangka ES and Sallydine Siso of University of San Carlos South in lawn tennis; Rodney John Sarte of Inayawan ES in sipa and Angelito Raymart Abella of Abellana National School in sepak takraw.
The rest of the awardees are Vence Flores of Severo Duterte Memorial ES and Val Stephen Jaca of UC in table tennis; Ded Mathew Daclan of Jack and Jill School of Bacolod and Kristal Lianne Tampus of Sto. Tomas College of Danao in taekwondo; Niño Medalle of Pardo ES and Kevin Roy Casia of USJ-R in volleyball and Mark John Cuyag of UC for chess.
Meanwhile. the MOAs for scrabble and chess in the elementary division were still not available as of yesterday. (MCB)
