SIX years after the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters 17-year reign in the secondary division of the 2018 Milo Little Olympics Visayas Regional Finals ended, they are back on top. But this time, UC did not only regain the secondary crown but also ruled the elementary division for the first time, becoming the second school to do so.
UC, which lost to the University of San Carlos-Basic Education in 2013, turned the table around and beat its tormentors after earning 199 points, relegating USC-BED to second at 126. Abellana National School got 104.67 points for third place.
UC’s elementary team was the surprised for this year as it performed beyond expectation with 85 points to steal the crown from St. John’s Institute Bacolod, which settled for sixth place with 51.83 points.
The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles and Colegio del Sto.Niño-Cebu finished at second and third place with 69.67 and 64 points, respectively.
In the event’s history, UC has never won the elementary class and only dominated the secondary level. UC changed that this year thanks to its mean and lean elementary team—30 athletes in five events.
“Really? We also won the elementary division? Wow! What a surprise,” was all UC’s head of athletic department Jessica Honoridez could say after she informed of the overall results.
Honoridez said that the goal for the elementary students was to give them exposure and the school never expected that these athletes will give them the first elementary overall title. She said that this is the stepping stone for them to get a scholarship when they reach to secondary level.
“I’m thankful to the parents and coaches of this athletes for the support even if the elementary athletes does not have a scholarship yet. But it’s a stepping stone for them,” she said.
UC became the second school to win both the secondary and elementary divisions. USC-Bed was the first to win both in 2013.
“When I was in table tennis for 20 years, the program I was used to was for elementary students. I just brought the program for the whole department. I was tasked to run the department because they believe in my program,” said Honoridez.
The school fielded 156 athletes with only 30 competing in the elementary division. The elementary level joined only in five events: arnis, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis and gymanstics.
My purpose is the continuity of the program because the kids that will be benefited are the less fortunate,” said Honoridez.
UC was second in the second to the last day but leapfrogged to the title after the final day.
UC’s secondary team got their point from boys’ arnis (4), girls’ arnis (4), boys’ athletics (20), girls’ athletics (15), boys’ badminton (10), girls’ chess (15), gymnastics WAG (15) MAG (15) and RSG (7), boys’ taekwondo (15), girls’ taekwondo (15), girls’ swimming (2), boys’ table tennis (15), girls’ table tennis (15), boys’ karatedo (15), girls’ karatedo (7) and boys’ lawn tennis (10). (S)