DAVAO City Durians emerged overall champion by hauling a total of 126 gold medals, 105 silvers, and 76 bronzes at the close of the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet 2017 at the Mati Centennial Sports Complex in Mati City, Davao Oriental Friday.
The Durians dominated both elementary and secondary divisions of the regional qualifying meet for the 2017 Palarong Pambansa.
Davao City harvested 65 golds, 45 silvers and 24 bronzes in elementary while its secondary athletes added 61 golds, 60 silvers and 52 bronzes.
Tagum City was at distant second in the overall ranking with a 62-48-65 medal count including 20-24-34 in elementary and 62-48-65 in secondary.
Panabo City (39-43-72) finished third while Digos City (39-34-45) placed fourth. Trailing behind were Davao del Norte (25-23-39) fifth, Davao del Sur (17-25-39) sixth, Compostela Valley (16-28-67) seventh, Davao Oriental (10-15-18) eighth, Davao Occidental (6-14-18) ninth, Mati City (6-10-20) and Island Garden City of Samal (1-3-5).
Top performers will advance to the Palarong Pambansa slated April 23 to 29 in Antique.
Department of Education Davao City Public Schools District Supervisor-Sports Lydia Ampo, in a Facebook interview with SunStar Davao Friday, said the city won more golds this year.
"Last year, 115 ka golds ra nakuha sa city (The city only got 115 golds last year)," Ampo said, adding that winning more medals meant more budget is needed for the cash incentives for the city athletes.
A gold medal has a corresponding P3,000 cash incentive while a silver costs P2,000 and a bronze P1,000.
Ampo said the incentives were not yet released as the P1.5 million allocated for it was short of P200,000. This year's number of medalists would need P1.7 million for the cash bonuses, according to her.
"We will request the lacking amount for the incentives from the city government of Davao," she added.
The Palaro-bound Davraa athletes will undergo quartering in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, that houses the sprawling multi-million Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Mankilam village on March 29 to April 14.
The Davraa delegation is tentatively set to depart for Antique on April 15.
Davao del Norte provincial sports coordinator Giovanni Gulanes said Davraa athletes and coaches will be billeted at the Tagum City National Comprehensive High School just beside the sports complex during the quartering.