The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters and the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) took off to sizzling starts in the first day of the 16th Milo Little Olympics-Visayas Regional Finals yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Center.
The powerhouse UC squad, 15-time champions in this annual school-based, multi-sporting event, immediately showed its supremacy in the secondary level by taking the lead in the medal standings. CIT-U, which finished fifth last year, is the current leader in the elementary division.
UC hauled 13 gold, eight silver and five bronze medals at the start of the event yesterday.
The Webmasters banked on their vaunted athletics team and also pulled off surprise wins in swimming over the powerhouse University of San Carlos (USC).
CIT-U, meanwhile, leaned on its new recruits to dominate the track and field events of the elementary division for a 4-4-0 (gold-silver-bronze) tally.
UC sprinter Roy Villahermosa led the medal haul for the Webmasters as he snatched three gold medals after dominating the 110-meter hurdles, 400m run and 400m hurdles.
UC also topped the long jump girls division, and 200m run and high jump boys.
In swimming held at the Cebu City Aquatics Center, UC finished off the first day with six gold medals, three silver and two bronze medals.
The gold medals came from Michael Ichiro Kong (200m individual medley), Danielle Mae Ballesteros (200m breast stroke), Robilyn Nina Ignacio (200m back stroke) and Bethmay Arellano (100 meter butterfly). UC’s 4x50m medley relay boys and girls teams also topped their categories.
USC, which dominated the swimming event in the past editions of this meet, struggled since some of its tankers already graduated to college.
USC managed three gold medals, two silvers and three bronze medals to place them in the second in the partial medal tally as of yesterday.
FIRST GOLD
CIT-U’s 11-year-old rookie Jon Dean Durano captured two gold medals yesterday, including the first gold medal of this year’s event in the discus throw early yesterday. His other gold was from shot put competition.
Basak Elementary School has a 3-3-0 tally to place second while Siliman University of Dumaguete won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze to stay at third.
Defending elementary champion USC-Basic Education Department (BED) started slow as it only managed two gold medals and a bronze.
In the football event, defending champion Abellana National School bolstered its bid for a stint in the Milo Nationals as it defeated University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F), 8-0.
Rogelio Castellano Jr., Reynald Amante and Kerth Ryan Aranguez contributed goals for Abellana.
In another game, the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) blanked Mandaue Institute of Technology (MIT), 8-0.
DBTC will face Sacred Heart School-Ateneo De Cebu (SHS-AdC) today in the quarterfinals followed a game between ANS and PAREF-Springdale.
SHS-AdC beat PAREF Springdale yesterday, 5-3.
Top contenders in the elementary division, DBTC and Canduman Elementary School also showed impressive performances yesterday by defeating defending champion PAREF Springdale and Cebu City Central School, respectively.
Canduman Elementary School stunned the heavily favored Cebu City Central School, 6-0, while DBTC downed PAREF Springdale, 2-0.
Points from each sporting event will be tallied starting today.
Winners in this met will represent back-to-back champion Team Visayas in the National Finals slated Nov. 12, 13 and 14 in Linggayen, Pangasinan.