Central Visayas close to completing team rosters for Milo National Finals

THE FINAL roster for the Visayas delegation in the upcoming 5th Milo Little Olympics National Finals is almost complete as the host region gears up for the annual multi-sporting event that starts Oct. 25 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Visayas organizer Ricky Ballesteros said yesterday that the lineup for the teams for the 14-event competition has already been set with the exception of the swimming squad, which will be finalized tomorrow.

Ballesteros said athletes from the University of San Carlos-Basic Education (USC-BED) will banner the campaign of the Visayan delegation in the medal-rich athletics competition in the elementary division while athletes from Iloilo National High School will anchor the campaign in the secondary division.

The secondary and elementary divisions in basketball will also be spearheaded by the cagers of USC–BED, which snared the titles in both the elementary and secondary divisions during the 18th Milo Little Olympics Visayas Regional Championships at the Cebu City Sports Center last August 16, 17, 18, 24 and 25.

The USC–BED bets will also anchor team Visayas’ campaign in secondary boys and girls divisions in badminton while the elementary division will be represented by athletes from the powerhouse Banilad National High School.

Don Bosco Technology Center will represent the Bisdaks in elementary football while Paref-Springdale will spearhead the secondary divisions’ campaign.

USC-BED will be the frontliners for the chess competition and secondary boys’ lawn tennis event while netters from Paref-Springdale will be fielded in the secondary girls’ division.

Four different schools, on the other hand, will represent Visayas in volleyball with Subangdako taking charge of the elementary boys, Catmon in elementary girls, USC-BED in high school boys and Pajo NHS in high school girls.

Catmon Integrated School athletes will take charge in Visayas’ campaign in sepak takraw and sipa, while gymnastics will be headed by bets from the University of the Visayas.

Severo Duterte Memorial National High School of Danao will be fielding its bets in table tennis while taekwondo will be represented by athletes from Region 6.

Ballesteros also said that the swimming team will be most likely composed of tankers from USC, University of Cebu and athletes from Bacolod and Iloilo City.

He also confirmed that all ballgames in the three-day competition will be held at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu courts in Canduman, Mandaue City together with the taekwondo event. /Correspondent Jade S. Violeta