Cebu City Niños still dominant in CVIRAA

BALAMBAN, Philippines – The Cebu City Niños put the proverbial icing on their victory cake with a double victory in basketball spiced up with a golden finish in  elementary football at the end of the 2015 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet yesterday at the E.S. Binghay Memorial Sports Complex here.

For the nth time, Cebu City emerged as overall champion in the annual sports conclave with an overwhelming total of 115 golds, 93 silvers and 63 bronzes. Mandaue City was a distant second with a 57-36-39 gold-silver-bronze tally, while Cebu Province wound up third overall with a 33-44-57 medal count.

The Niños harvested most of their golds in the secondary department with 84 gold, 59 silver, and 34 bronze medals. They barely snared the elementary crown after earning the same golds as Mandaue with 31 apiece. The Niños though were ahead by 17 silvers and 15 bronzes over Mandaue.

Still, Mandaue was very elated with its performance as it's the first time in the history of this regional meet that it placed second overall.

In basketball, the University of the Visayas-manned Team Cebu City gained a measure of revenge against Mandaue powered by players from Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, prevailing in their final match via a 68-58 decision. The Niños also won the elementary basketball gold with a 53-30 rout of the hapless Bohol squad.

On their part, Cebu City's gymnasts made the powerhouse squad more deserving of its overall crown when it gathered a total of 23 golds, 17 silvers and eight bronzes.

The tried-and-tested Daniella de la Pisa is the lone gymnast to sweep all six golds at stake under her event including the team competition.

Daniela's brother Randal Iverson also prevented Cebu City from being overshadowed by Lapu-Lapu in the secondary level by winning the floor exercise and the team event. Cebu City got more medals from badminton with 6-5-3. The golds came from the secondary boys and girls team events, the girls  doubles through Android Rose Tingson and Tricia Merced Open, and Michael James Troyo and Jessa Diamante in the singles event.

Cebu City also won gold in the elementary department through Chelsea Akiatan in the singles event against Mandaue's Eclaire Ann Satera.

Cebu City grabbed additional three golds and five silvers in table tennis, even as it also dominated the secondary sepak takraw and chess events.

Overall, Cebu City snatched the bulk of its medals from swimming (25-16-12), athletics (24-19-13), and taekwondo (15-3-6). (FREEMAN)