Swimmers Paolo Miguel Labanon and Rissa Angelian Sahagun will lead Davao City Durians' bid to retain the overall title as competition in the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2024 begins on Tuesday, April 1, in separate venues in Davao City.
The swimming competition will take place at the Davao del Norte Sports Complex in Tagum City.
Labanon, a 17-year-old Grade 11 student of Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MMCM), aims to dominate all seven of his events in the regional meet for elementary and secondary athletes.
The Palarong Pambansa 2023 secondary boys' most outstanding swimmer is set to compete in the secondary boys' 1,500-meter, 800m, 400m, and 200m freestyle events, as well as in 200m butterfly, and 4X50 and 4X100 freestyle relays.
"Like everyone else, I am really eyeing an MVP since this will be my last Davraa Meet," Labanon said in a Facebook interview with SunStar Davao.
I want to leave a legacy to inspire future swimmers that achievements and dedication in the sports they are in will lead them to excellence.
Paolo Miguel Labanon, Palarong Pambansa 2023 secondary boys most outstanding swimmer
Following his sterling performance in Marikina City Palaro last year where he collected four gold medals and three silvers, Labanon is anticipated to make significant strides in the upcoming Palarong Pambansa 2024 in Cebu City.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Sahagun, a 12th grader at the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU), is determined to outshine her achievements at the Davao City Athletic Association (Dcaa) Meet 2024.
"I aim to target more golds than the Dcaa Meet and better times," she said.
Sahagun secured six golds in the Dcaa Meet, including the secondary girls 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley (IM), 400m IM, and 4X50m freestyle relay, along with a silver in the 4X100m relay. She will compete in these same events at the Davraa Meet 2024.
She, however, said,
The golds didn't really matter. Coach always reminds us that the real victory is becoming better than our previous races.
Rissa Angelian Sahagun, DCAA Meet secondary girls most bemedaled swimmer
The host city emerged overall champion anew in the Davraa Meet 2023 with 174 gold medals, 109 silvers, and 82 bronzes.
While the Durians are optimistic about defending their Davraa title, Department of Education (DepEd) Davao City Division superintendent Reynante Solitario earlier told SunStar Davao that they are aiming for more gold medals at the Palarong Pambansa 2024. To achieve this goal, they conducted a month-long in-house training program for the athletes.
SunStar Davao’s special coverage of the Davraa Meet 2024, which is in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) Davao Region and the City Government of Davao, is presented by Mati City Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat, Santos Land Development Corporation, Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, and Davao de Oro First District Rep. Maricar Zamora. MLSA