Thursday, January 08, 2009 Darwin all set for Arafura Games By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
ALL roads will lead to Darwin, Australia this summer when the 2009 Arafura Games gets underway from May 9-17 in the Northern Territory's capital.
Philippine Consul to Northern Territory John Rivas said all the facilities are already in place for the Games, a leading international competition for emerging champions of the Asia-Pacific which is accredited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Rivas said they expect around 4,000 athletes and officials to converge for the nine-day competition, excluding the members of the press who will be covering the Games.
The Arafura Games will have 27 sporting disciplines, to include for the first time this year events like darts and muay thai.
"All the facilities are already there, including the football stadium," Rivas told Davao sports journalists Wednesday.
Rivas said the Arafura Games is not only about sports. The sports meet, which is held every two years, is also a channel to establish linkages between Darwin and Davao, one of the Philippine cities actively participating in the Games since its inception in 1991.
"The Games will also re-establish the bilateral trade between Darwin and Davao," declared Rivas, noting the potentials Davao have especially in education, culture and tourism.
"The Arafura Games is the gateway for Australia to admit people from the neighboring countries," Rivas said.
Rivas and his wife Edna are in Davao to meet and discuss the coming Arafura Games with Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William "Butch" Ramirez and some members of the City Council.
Rivas also personally invited councilors Peter T. Laviña, Susabel Rita and Rachel Zozobrado to join the Davao delegation to Darwin following a lunch hosted by Ramirez.
Ramirez said the Philippines will be fielding athletes in judo, athletics, swimming, boxing, golf, table tennis, clycing and karatedo.
The PSC chief also advised the local lawmakers that if they send athletes to Darwin, these must be top athletes who can represent the city and the country well.
In the 2007 Arafura Games, the Philippines ranked 11th from among 42 countries, with the Davao boxers coming up with impressive showings in the meet.
