THE PHILIPPINE Sports Association for the Differently Abled-National Paralympic Committee (Philspada-NPC) will stage the Visayas Paralympic Games on July 4 to 8 at the Cebu City Sports Center.
This multi-sporting event for persons with disabilities (PWD) is made possible through the efforts of PHILSPADA-NPC, Cebu provincial board member Arleigh Sitoy and the Philippine Sports Commission.
“This will showcase the hidden talents of our local PWD athletes here in Cebu,” said Shadow Fax Promotions general manager Laurence Plata.
The games will be highlighted by a separate running event slated July 7 dubbed the Run For Pinoy Glory starting at the Fort San Pedro grounds.
The race is a fund-raising activity of Summit Natural Drinking Water to fund the Filipino paralympic athletes who will compete in the London Paralympic games in August.
Plata said PHILSPADA-NPC chairman Michael Barredo, president Luis Jose Arellano and executive director Dennis Esta will grace the running event to represent the Paralympic athletes.
The proceeds of the race will be a big help to the paralympic athletes, according to Plata.
The race will feature 3-kilometer, 5k, 12k, 16k and 21k categories. There will also be a special 3k category for PWDs in wheelchairs.
Since the race is a fund-raising activity, winners won’t receive cash prizes. Still, they won’t go home empty handed as organizers will be giving out prizes in kind, trophies and medals to the top three in each category.
Organizers will also award finishers in the 21k category specially designed shirts resembling the Philippine Flag and three-inch Olympic-inspired design medals. A 2.5-inch version of the medal will be given to 16k finishers.
Registration is ongoing at the RUNNR Ayala Center Cebu, ROX and at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) office in the Cebu City Sports Center.
Registration fee is pegged at P300 for the 3k and 5k runners, P450 for 12k, P550 for 16k and P650 for 21k./CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL