Iloilo wary of Cebu as Batang Pinoy opens

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Host Iloilo City will defend its turf against threats from Cebu as hostilities in the Visayas leg of the 2019 Philippine National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy open today in various venues here.

The local bets fielded in 311 athletes including a team in centerpiece athletics, softball and futsal where they are fancied to win considering the three are the sports closest to the hearts of the Ilongos.

“We are strong in track and field, softball and futsal and we have high hopes in those events. Futsal especially is closest to our hearts and it will mean a lot if we win there,” said Rommel Castro, senior executive assistant to host city Mayor Joe Espinosa, in yesterday’s briefer.

The hosts, however, will have their hands full as they face strong delegations from Cebu City and Cebu Province, which sent 316 and 297 athletes, respectively.

Cebu City is on track in its title quest in  this weeklong event for in and out-of-school youth athletes aged 15 years and below for the second straight year after topping last year’s edition in Dumaguete City. They should harvest golds in taekwondo, karatedo, indoor and beach volleyball, lawn and table tennis.

Cebu Province is tipped to challenge its city counterparts specifically in karatedo and the poomsae event of taekwondo.

Dumaguete, which finished second in the Visayas leg last year, has fielded in 119 athletes and should have no problem raking in most of the archery events.

At least 14 golds each are staked in track and field and swimming today at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

The games’ very first gold will be disputed in the  girls’ 2000-meter walk  at 7 a.m.

Other athletics events staking golds are boys’ long jump, discus throw, 110m hurdles, 100 and  400m; girls’ shot put, high jump, discus throw, 3000m and triple jump, discus throw,  100m hurdles,  100m and  400m.

 A gold rush is also expected in archery, arnis, karatedo, pencak silat and rapid chess. while action will also start in badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, futsal, sepak takraw, indoor and beach volleyball.