Davao Central District emerged as the overall champion in the elementary division, while Cluster 1 dominated the secondary division of the Unit 1 Athletic Meet 2026 held Sept. 7 to 9 at various school venues across Davao City.
The strong showing puts Unit 1's athletes in a familiar position heading into the Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) Meet, where Unit 1 has been a perennial champion.
The Unit 1 Meet serves as a qualifier for the DCAA Meet, with athletes and teams competing for spots in the citywide competition.
Davao Central led the elementary division with 61 gold, 35 silver, and 22 bronze medals, followed by Buhangin East District with 32 gold, 33 silver, and 32 bronze medals, and Ma-a District with 23 gold, 31 silver, and 21 bronze medals.
Sta. Ana District placed fourth with 20 gold, 23 silver and 15 bronze medals, while Buhangin West finished fifth with 13 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze medals. San Roque District completed the standings with eight gold, five silver and 15 bronze medals.
In the secondary division, Cluster 1 posted a commanding performance with 145 gold, 100 silver and 28 bronze medals to claim the overall championship.
Cluster 3 finished second with 53 gold, 34 silver and 42 bronze medals, while Cluster 2 placed third with 42 gold, 42 silver and 36 bronze medals.
The Unit 1 Meet brought together young athletes from different districts and secondary clusters in various sporting events.
Davao Central's strong showing came from its athletes' performances across several events, including basketball, chess, athletics, taekwondo, dancesport, volleyball, arnis, table tennis and badminton.
In elementary boys basketball, Davao Central, represented mainly by athletes from Cesareo Villa-Abrille Elementary School and Wireless Elementary School, defeated Sta. Ana District, 81-37, on Sept. 8.
The Davao Central team established control early, taking a 29-2 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 44-7 at halftime. It continued to pull away in the second half to secure the 44-point victory.
Alkin Thirdy Cumaya was named most valuable player after averaging 12.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, two steals and one block during the meet.
Coach Harold Lovitos credited the team's defensive effort for its success.
“When playing basketball, always remember that offense can win a game, but defense can win the championship,” Lovitos said in a story posted by the Maroon Waves.
Davao Central also produced a strong performance in athletics, led by Jomar Pugo of Cesareo Villa-Abrille Elementary School, who won four gold medals in the javelin throw, discus throw, 1,500-meter dash, and 4x4 relay.
In chess, Wireless Elementary School's Charlie Jr. Lagang went unbeaten with five wins and one draw to claim the elementary boys championship with 5.5 points.
Magallanes Elementary School also contributed several medal-winning performances to Davao Central's campaign.
Its athletes won championships in taekwondo and volleyball, while its dancesport team captured 11 gold medals and one silver medal in the Latin American and Modern Standard disciplines.
The dancesport team will advance to the DCAA Meet after its strong showing, with Francis Lance O. Antoque and Ella O. Obedencio winning six gold medals in the Latin American discipline. Ailec R. Sarillana and Febie Sofiamae H. Guzman added five gold medals and one silver in modern standard.
The Unit 1 Meet was hosted by the Buhangin East District, with competitions held at different school venues and Cabantian Elementary School serving as the opening venue.
PSDS Chairman Joan B. Galarion reminded the young athletes that success goes beyond medals, urging them to strive for excellence, practice discipline, overcome challenges, respect others, value teamwork, and serve as an inspiration.
With the Unit 1 Meet wrapped up, attention now shifts to the DCAA Meet 2026, where the qualifiers will carry the momentum of their victories into the citywide competition. As a perennial champion in the DCAA Meet, Unit 1 will look to sustain its winning tradition and prove once again that its depth of young sporting talent remains a force to reckon with. MLSA
