COMPETITION during the Palarong Pambansa is heating up.
Department of Education undersecretary Tonisito Umali took note of this as the 2018 Palarong Pambansa ended last Saturday at the Quirino Stadium in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.
The National Capital Region, which has kept the crown for the 13th straight year since the medal tally and the point system were introduced, only had an increase of 2 gold medals since last year.
The Big City athletes stayed as champions after they took in a total of 100 gold medals, 70 silvers and 50 bronzes.
Their last three gold medals came from basketball when they swept the secondary boys and girls, and the elementary division.
On the other hand, Region IV-A(Calabarzon) is picking up, and so is Region VI (Western Visayas), which have increased their medal output this year.
From a 41-57-57 gold-silver-bronze medal tally last year, Region IV-A finished with a 55-50-73 total.
They have increased their medal output with good showings in secondary boys athletics with their 4-16 collection, and their 6-2-2 total in secondary girls swimming.
“Region IV-A for the last four years has placed second. They are continuously at no. 2 with increases in medal tally,” said Umali, who is Palaro board chairman.
Region IV-A’s new source of gold medals came from secondary boys badminton when Jeno Carino and Nesto Jan Tapales claimed the doubles crown. Carino and Tapales later helped Jewel Albo take the team tie honors at the expense of Central Visayas Region (region VI).
Meanwhile, Northern Mindanao Region won five of 10 golds at stake in boxing with Jericho Acaylar taking the crown in the pinweight, Lesley Caga topping the lightweight finals and John Palivinio dominating the flyweight side. Bryan Caspe and John Odivinia ruled the bantamweight and the light bantamweight action.
Triathlete-turned middle distance runner Tara Borlain took the gold in the secondary girls’ 800m following a close encounter with barefooted bet Lheslie Delima of the Bicol Region.
Kier Napolitano led NCR to a 1-0 win over Socsargen for the secondary football plum.
Metro Manila athletes made their presence felt in the secondary boys badminton, with Lance Zafra topping the singles finals over Lyrden Laborte of Region IV-A.
Mikaela Joy de Guzman ruled the girls singles, while Region 4-A’s Jochelle Alvarez is the runner up.
Lanz Zafra and Ghiselle Bautista clinched the mixed doubles plum for NCR, with Region 4-A’s Jeno Carino and Jellene de Vera landing second.