SPORTS in Davao City took a major leap in 2018 as President Rodrigo R. Duterte's home city played host to huge sporting events such as the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao and the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2018.
The Davraa Meet 2018 was held in February, featuring some 6,000 delegates of athletes, coaches, delegation officials, and technical officials. Excluded from this number are the hundreds of parents and family members who also came from different parts of the region. Deped Davao City, Digos City, Davao del Sur, Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Island Garden City of Samal, Tagum City, Compostela Valley, Mati City, and Davao Oriental were represented.
Host Davao City, of course, lived up to its billing by hauling a total of 126 gold medals, 105 silvers, and 76 bronzes to defend its overall championship in the regional meet.
The successful Davraa hosting then led Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to ask Deped that the city host the 2019 edition again as they eyed to bid for the Palarong Pambansa 2019 hosting.
Duterte-Carpio vowed a different experience for all Davraa delegates, hoping that the Davao City-University of the Philippines (UP) Sports Complex will be fully operational by then.
But recently, former Davao City solon Isidro Ungab said the sports complex, except for the swimming pool, will be ready for the Davraa Meet 2019. The swimming pool, perhaps, may be completed in time for the city's hosting of the Palarong Pambansa 2019.
Meanwhile, over 1,500 triathletes from the Philippines, United Arab Emirates,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom of Great Britain, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Monaco, Mexico, Qatar, Singapore, and Taiwan vied for honors in the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao race.
The world-class triathlon race will have two more editions to be held in Davao City. Slots for the 2019 staging in March were sold out as soon as the registration opened.
In June this year, Davao City also hosted the 19th Asean+ Age-Group Chess Championships with over 300 participants from participating countries like powerhouse Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, India, South Korea, Switzerland, and Denmark, among others.
However, next year is far more exciting as the city will host anew the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao, Davraa Meet 2019, Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) 11 Meet 2019, Palarong Pambansa 2019 and National Prisaa Games 2019.