A LOCAL sports official is optimistic that the Zamboanga City delegation participating in the five-day Batang Pinoy sports competition will bring home medals.
The Batang Pinoy sports event kicked-off Tuesday and is set to end on Saturday, February 1.
Local Batang Pinoy Sports Director professor Elbert Atilano expressed his optimism citing that the Zamboanga City delegation have focused only on sports events where ZamboangueƱo athletes excelled in previous competition.
Atilano said this is the reason why the 113-man delegation of Zamboanga City is only participating in eight of the total 31 sport events.
The eight events are the following: lawn tennis; boxing; swimming; taekwondo; weight lifting; karatedo; basketball; and, wrestling.
Atilano said the Zamboanga City delegation emerged as the number three in overall standing in the last Batang Pinoy held in Naga City.
He said the 113-man Zamboanga City delegation include 96 athletes and 17 coaching staffs.
He said the holding of the Batang Pinoy is spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Interior and Local Government.
The Batang Pinoy competition is in pursuant to Executive Order No. 44 otherwise known as the Philippine Youth Games-Batang Pinoy, which serves as the national sports competition program for children 15 years old and below. (Bong Garcia)