Leyte: EVRAA 2016 champ takes 84 golds, mostly in athletics

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — The Leyte Division hauled in 84 gold medals, mostly in athletics events, to outsmart 12 other groups and triumph as champion of the 2016 Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association meet, held in this city from January 31 to February 6.

Baybay City finished second with 49 golds while host Ormoc City came in third with 40 golds, 12 of these in arnis, equaling its previous year’s output in this annual sporting meet of the Department of Education-8.

Eastern Samar and Maasin City tied with 26 golds, but the former was declared fourth placer due to its 38 silvers against the latter’s 35.

Tacloban City was at sixth place with 25 golds, but won the best in uniform awards. At 7th was Southern Leyte (17 golds), which took the most disciplined and most clean awards for the 6th consecutive time since.

The rest of the competing divisions were Biliran, with 15 golds; Borongan City (10); Catbalogan City (9); Samar (9); Northern Samar (6); and Calbayog City.

In basketball, Leyte put up a fierce competition resulting in overtime and winning the first game against Ormoc, which had a twice-to-beat advantage after sweeping all its games in the eliminations. Ormoc later held on to its power and skills, during the do-or-die 2nd game, to take the cage title.  (FREEMAN)