DAVAO City will send a 218-member delegation of athletes, coaches and officials to the Batang Pinoy Mindanao Leg slated March 6 to 12 in Oroquieta City.
Notable athletes include Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2018 boxing gold medalist and elementary division best boxer Reymond Albupera, Davraa chess champion Irish Yngayo, Wesley Jovan Magbanua and Ryan Gabriel Rasay and Davraa secondary girls 800-meter run gold medalist Reza Tuba, among others.
Albupera will be joined by teammates Davraa silver medalist Emmanuel Canubas, Chad Andrey Fornes, Rocky James Lariosa, Cyril Isaac Revilla, Cyril Ivan Revilla and Glen Mark Villagracia with coaches Jay Reeve Guerrero, Raul Revilla and Librado Sagarino.
Joining the city's chess team, coached by Alfred Moulic and Ely Acas, are Neil Sebastian Enoc, Marv Denzel Rubio, Kurt John Placencia, Eric Yngayo Jr., Charlene Moulic, Queen Peralta, Samantha Umayan and Nathalie Suter.
Badminton standout Karylle Kaye Molina, who settled for Davraa silver after succumbing to injury in the secondary girls singles finals, is hoped to recover fast for the Batang Pinoy Games.
The star-studded badminton team is mostly bannered by Davraa Meet 2018 champions the likes of Nick Conrad Arendain, Joshua Alquizar and Achbbel Celine Baguio. Completing the team are Harlene Claire Herbabuena, Peter Gabriel Arendain and Maria Francesca Denise Almazan with Jethra Diaz and Narlyn Opiano as their coaches.
Diaz, in a recent interview with SunStar Davao at the city quarters during the Davraa Meet, said: "Kusog ning line-up sa Batang Pinoy, mga praktisado sab ang mga bata (We have a strong roster in Batang Pinoy, the players are well-trained)."
The Batang Pinoy, according to her, would be a good tune-up for the qualified players who will also compete in the Palarong Pambansa in Vigan next month.
Davao City also has entries in arnis, athletics, basketball, dancesports, karatedo, tennis, sepak takraw, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, volleyball and beach volleyball.
But Davraa Meet 2018 most bemedaled tankers from the Holiday Gym and Spa won't be seeing action in Oroquieta City.
Coach Haroon Cali said Friday: "Di na po sila mag-Batang Pinoy kasi mag-prepare pa sila for the Palarong Pambansa."