THE powerhouse Cebu City Niños stood as the best team in Region 7 and will go home with another overall title in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (Cviraa) meet, which wrapped up on Friday, Feb. 22 in Dumaguete City.
The Niños extended their reign in Central Visayas to an unprecedented 27 years after accumulating 73 gold medals, 57 silver medals and 73 bronze medals in six days of competition.
The Niños once again dominated the medal tally against the other 18 divisions, but the team saw a decline of gold medal output compared to their 114-gold medal haul last year in Tagbilaran City.
Cebu City got the most medal contributions from the secondary level with 57 gold medals, 36 silvers and 51 bronzes, while the elementary division handed 16 golds, 21 silvers and 22 bronzes.
While Cebu City is way ahead in the no. 1 spot, it was the battle for the overall second place that brought thrill on the final day as Bohol Province and Lapu-Lapu City were neck-and-neck in gold medal output.
Bohol Province secured the second place thanks to the late heroics of the elementary and secondary sepak takraw teams, which handed the final two gold medals for the delegation. Bohol’s sepak takraw secondary boys’ team outlasted Negros Oriental, 2-1, in the championship match, while the elementary boys’ defeated Cebu City, 2-0, at the Brgy. Talay covered court.
Bohol Province finished with 44 gold medals, 53 silvers and 51 bronzes, outlasting Lapu-Lapu City, which had 44 gold medals, 21 silvers and 26 bronzes.
Bohol Province got the overall second place with 53 silver medals against the 21 of Lapu-Lapu City. The two teams had identical 44 gold medals.
Host Dumaguete City garnered 37 gold medals, 42 silvers and 39 bronzes, while Cebu Province won 33 gold medals, 30 silvers and 62 bronzes to round up this year’s Top 5 divisions.
In the secondary ranking, Cebu City is the top team followed by Bohol Province (28-34-34), Dumaguete City (20-27-23), Lapu-Lapu City (20-13-17) and Tagbilaran City (15-9-16).
Lapu-Lapu City (24-8-9), meanwhile, ruled the elementary division and is followed by Cebu Province (19-10-26), Dumaguete City (17-15-16), Cebu City (16-21-22) and Tagbilaran City (15-8-5).