IT’S all systems go for the 1st National Students Weightlifting Championship 2012 which opens tomorrow at the University of Cebu main campus.
In spite of the bad weather, tournament officials led by Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) commissioner and Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP) assistant secretary general Felix Tiukinhoy, assured that the competition that has attracted seven schools and a total 27 lifters, will push through.
“We’re honored and excited to host this national tournament and we are even more excited to announce that the second edition of this competition will still be held here in Cebu,” said Tiukinhoy during yesterday’s SCOOP Forum at the Baseline Restaurant.
He was joined by Alberto Atilano, Fessap assistant director for Mindanao, University of Cebu athletic director Bernard Ricablanca, University of San Jose-Recoletos athletic director Dioscoro Himotas and Danny Catingub, the tournament director.
The tournament’s top finishers will be given the chance to represent the country in the 27th Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia from July 6-17.
The local front will be represented by both UC and USJ-R while the schools from Luzon are Guagua National Colleges of Pampanga and the University of the East. Also representing the region are Holy Name University of Bohol and PMI Colleges of Tagbilaran.
Mindanao will be represented by the Universidad de Zamboanga, which has the largest contingent with 11 lifters. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio