5,000 athletes to participate in 2015 Batang Pinoy Games in Cebu

CEBU CITY – 5,000 athletes and spectators are expected to grace the opening of the 2015 National Youth Games-Batang Pinoy National Championships on Friday at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) on Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City.

Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) Chairman Ed Hayco said Cebu City’s hosting of the national games have the support from Cebu Provincial government and the cities of Danao and Mandaue.

Cebu will showcase during the opening a grand show prepared by the Sinulog Foundation headed by Ricky Ballesteros.

Most of the performers come from five-time Sinulog champion Cebu Lumad Basakanon, the Sinulog Idol, the Philippine Taekwondo Association-Cebu Chapter, the University of Cebu (UC) Dance Company and Abellana National School Dance Troupe and the DanceSport Team Cebu City.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City girls’ volleyball team composed of players from the Southwestern University (SWU) and University of San Carlos are all geared up for the competition.

The boys’ team is composed of players from USC and Abellana National School (ANS).

The girls’ beach volleyball team is composed of players from St. Theresa’s College (STC), while the boys are from ANS.

In tennis, coach Fritz Tabura said he based his selection on the players’ performances during the recent major tennis tournaments such as the Cebu City Olympics, Milo Little Olympics and Cebu Schools Athletics Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) tournaments.

The tennis team is composed of Francis Hidalgo and Francis Ricana, Gener Francis Lambayan and Marc Suson for the boys side and Zethley Mae Alferez, Kara Salimbangon, Elizabeth Abarquez and Kristella Zampan in the girls division.

In taekwondo, Cebu City and Cebu Province are out to prove that the best jins are from this part of the country.

Philippine Taekwondo Association Region 7 chairman Tony del Prado has high hopes for both teams.

The Cebu Province team is composed of the sparring team led by Arwen Sorross, Wendil Rama, Jayden Guevara, Job Canedo, Lester Parba, Alec Villahermosa, Denison Caneda, Urea Villahermosa, Lord Deguma, Yusuf Bin Mohammad Ali, Royda Ranile, Sharmaine Albarracin, Shiela Lepon, Princess Parba and Kym Guilot. The poomsae team is composed of Quincy Asilo, Shaneen Paran, Crystal Dela Torre, Romeo Reyes III and Johann Concepcion.

The Cebu City squad has a 21-man roster of Ray Giganto, Jhayson Navaja, Patrick Nacorda, Julia Ybarra, Mary Max, Dandy Sator, Archie Tejas, Ghohan Aquino, Charlotte Aquino, Gavrie Bulibuli, Grainne Bulibuli, Joshua Afar, Vanessa Catubig, Charisse Pasilan and Gabriel Trocio make up the Cebu City sparring team. Cheyena dela Fuente, Kobe Hayrana, Cha Labiste, Aidaine Laxa, Alexander Llenes and Joshua Verdida are the players for the Cebu City poomsae team.

The poomsae event will be on Nov. 29 at the University of San Carlos North Campus, while the sparring competition is from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 at SM City Cebu.