LEYTE Conquerors, the official delegation of Leyte division is set to regain their crown in this year’s Department of Education (DepEd)-initiated Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) in Ormoc City from April 7 to 12.
Raul Salano, Leyte athletic manager said their players are “determined to recover the top stop” in the annual sporting event.
Leyte lost to Ormoc division after keeping the crown for the past 10 years during the 2018 EVRAA games in Calbayog City.
Salano thanked the “full support” of Leyte Schools Division Superintendent Ronelo Al Firmo, Assistant Superintendents Marilyn Siao and Edgar Tenasas, Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, the parents, and the coaching staff of the division.
“We’re ready for the gold again,” said Roderick Yape, national taekwondo instructor and coach of Leyte taekwondo team from Kananga.
“Last year, we were the overall champion for Kyorugi secondary-boys, overall for secondary-girls, overall elementary- boys. The winner for elementary- girls went to Ormoc,” said Yape whose two children Stella Nicole and Jeus Gabriel Derick are also part of the EVRAA division’s winning taekwondo team this year.
The other taekwondo players for Kyorugi lightweight and Poomsae include Ronie Tadea, Justin Enalisan, Hanameel Labiste, Ellah Dagsaan, Jamil Ramos, Frumencio Alferes, Andrea Angel Corbo, Ailah Blair Masicampo, Xavier Ngo, Alexander Colaba, and Clark Jhay Daquil.
They are set to compete on April 10 to 11 at the Robinsons Mall in Ormoc.
Meanwhile, Salano disclosed the Leyte provincial government allocated P4.5-million for the Leyte delegation in this year’s games.
Last year, Leyte gave a financial aid of P3.5 million.
In 2018 games, Leyte bagged 88 gold medals, 69 silver and 56 bronze medals against Ormoc with 109 gold, 56 silver, and 74 bronze medals.
For the high school category, Leyte topped in the games with 70 gold medals, 48 silver, and 42 bronze while Ormoc only got 58 gold, 32 silver, and 46 bronze.
Ormoc, however, dominated in the elementary level with 51 gold medals compared to 18 gold of Leyte.
Aside from taekwondo, Leyte harvested 13 gold medals for the secondary wrestling team and three more gold from billiards.
Around 10,000 athletes and participants from the 13 schools division in Eastern Visayas are expected to attend the games.
The 13 delegations are from the divisions of Maasin City, Southern Leyte, Baybay City, Ormoc City, Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Borongan City, Catbalogan City, Calbayog City, and Tacloban City. (SunStar Philippines)