By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — Athletes will battle it out in 28 events during the Philippine Youth Games–Batang Pinoy national level from December 9 to 13 here.
Sporting contests in this year’s youth games were arnis, athletics, swimming, triathlon, cycling, boxing, dancesport, volleyball, lawn tennis, table tennis, badminton, chess, softball, taekwondo, futsal, and basketball 3-on-3.
Also included were sepak takraw, weightlifting, karatedo, wrestling, billiards, muay thai, fencing, pencat silat, wushu, rugby, and cheer dance.
Players who will win gold, silver and bronze medals will get an incentive of P3,000 each from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), according to Negros Occidental Provincial Sports Development Officer Manuel De Oro.
However, the incentive comes with a condition: the winning player must have undergone regional qualifying legs.
The Visayas Qualifying Leg will be in Kalibo, Aklan from October 21 to 25.
Iloilo was earlier declared as national Batang Pinoy host, but it begged off because it was rehabilitating its track oval and football field, said PSC commissioner Jose Luis Gomez.
Next year, Iloilo City will host the National Private Schools Athletic Association Meet from April 12 to 18.
The Mindanao Qualifying Leg will be in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur from Sept. 10 to 14, while the Luzon Qualifying Leg will be in Naga City from Nov. 11 to 15, Gomez said.
No Batang Pinoy activities will be held from Sept. 19 to Oct. 1 in view of the Asian Games from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 in Incheon, South Korea./PN
