Pangasinan II is new Region1AA champ
LINGAYEN—Pangasinan finally did it!
Pangasinan II bagged the overall championship title in this year’s Region I Athletic Association (R1AA), dethroning Ilocos Norte, the perennial champion for the past 11 years.
The R1AA, formerly known as the Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) Meet, was held from March 14 to 19 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) here at the capital town of Pangasinan.
Pangasinan II scored 503.5 points, mainly from basketball, arnis (boys and girls), badminton (boys and girls), chess (boys and girls), sepak-takraw (girls), taekwondo (boys and girls), tennis (boys and girls), football, sipa, table tennis (boys and girls), and volleyball (boys).
Ilocos Norte trailed closely in second place by just 13 points with a total of 490.5, mostly from badminton (boys and girls), football, softball, swimming (boys), sepak takraw (boys), arnis (boys), volleyball (girls), chess (boys), and table tennis (boys).
Another team from the province, Pangasinan I, placed third, the same position it held last year, with 476 points.
An exhilarated Governor Amado Espino Jr. congratulated the winners and hailed Pangasinan II’s victory a testimony to the province’s goal of excellence in various fields.
“I am happy that finally our efforts paid off. We were able to beat the meet’s perennial champion. We should now work doubly hard to retain the championship next year because I am sure Ilocos Norte will try to bounce back to reclaim the crown,” the governor said.
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
Espino reiterated his pledge to provide a firm policy and direction by further “rationalizing the province’s sports development program” for the full development of the province’s athletes.
Meanwhile, Dr. Viraluz Raguindin, Pangasinan II Schools Superintendent, attributed the team’s achievement to the hard work and determination of the young athletes, with the full support of the provincial government.
“It’s about time Pangasinan athletes shine,” Raguindin said.
Before the start of the week-long competition, the provincial government supported a 2-week intensive in-house training with tune-up games. It was the first time that Pangasinense athletes were given such an opportunity for physical, mental and emotional preparations for the regional games.
The following was how the other delegations ranked: 4th, La Union (308.75); 5th, Laoag City (195.25); 6th, Alaminos City (130.25); 7th, Dagupan City (121.5); 8th; San Carlos City (102.75); 9th, Urdaneta City (99); 10th, San Fernando City (91); 11th, Ilocos Sur (82); 12th, Candon City (70), 13th, Batac City (62.5); 14th, Vigan City (45).
Espino, who distributed the trophies during the closing ceremony, invited the winning athletes of Region 1 who will compete in the Palarong Pambansa to train and use the sports facilities in Pangasinan.
The top winners in the various sporting events in the R1AA will represent the region in the national games to be held in Dapitan, Zamboanga Del Norte on May 8-14.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
