All set for Batang Pinoy sportsfest

IT'S all systems go for the three-day Batang Pinoy Mindanao-wide leg to be held in Zamboanga City, a local sports official said Thursday.

City Sports Development Officer Bernardito Patiño said the sports competition is scheduled from October 27 to 30.

Patiño said some 2,000 athletes, aged 15 and below, are vying for the Mindanao-wide qualifier of the newly revived national multi-sport competition.

They are from Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccskargen, Caraga and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) and will battle off in 15 different sporting events.

The sports events are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball (3-on-3), boxing, chess, gymnastics, judo, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.

Winners of the said events will form part of the regional qualifying group for the national encounters on December 10 to 13 at Naga City, Camarines Sur, Patiño said.

Patiño said there were already four contingents who confirmed their participation from Iligan City, Gingoog City, Dipolog City and Basilan, he said.

Zamboanga City is the first city in Mindanao to host the first of the five-leg regional qualifiers since the said multi-event sportsfest hibernated 10 years ago. (Bong Garcia)