THE Philippine delegation, including a huge contingent from Davao City, Wednesday, April 24, arrived in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia via a chartered Philippine Airlines flight.
Some 70 Dabawenyos including coaches, athletes and officials, left for Manila Tuesday where they stayed the night and took the Darwin flight together with the rest of the Filipino delegates.
Davao City swimming coach Haroon Cali, in a Facebook interview with Sunstar Davao, said some Palarong Pambansa qualified swimmers gave up their slots to instead represent the country in the revival of the Arafura Games. He was pertaining to Ivo Nikolai Enot, Joshua Raphael del Rio, Maiki Samantha Gonzaga, Lora Micah Amoguis and Edward Alfaro III.
Cali also once competed in the games as an athlete before and returning to Darwin now as a coach is something special for him.
“I feel very happy and honoured to represent the country as a coach. Fulfilling jud kaayo (It is really fulfilling),” he said.
Aside from Davao City, local government units (LGUs) of Davao del Norte, Palawan, Bacolod City and General Santos City are also fielding athletes in the weeklong sportsfest.
The Philippine Sports Commission also subsidized the LGUs’ stints in the Games.