NEW R1AA CHAMPION

MANAOAG– Host Pangasinan II rallied in the last two days of the Region 1 Athletic Association (IRAA) meet to beat and wrest back the crown it last won three years ago from perennial champion Ilocos Norte.

The new R1AA champion, representing the fourth, fifth and sixth congressional districts of the province, seized the crown after winning 88 gold medals, at least 61 of them in the secondary school division, in addition to 21 silver and 48 bronze medals to dethrone the Ilocos Norte by proverbial mile.

The young athletes from Pangasinan 2 division garnered top awards particularly in the arnis, athletics, archery, ball games, boxing, taekwondo, wushu, wrestling, sepak takraw, chess.

In the elementary level, Ilocos Norte won first followed by Pangasinan 2 and Dagupan City.

Pangasinan 2, meanwhile, topped the secondary level, followed by La Union and Pangasinan 1.

Ilocos Norte went home frustrated by capturing only 41 gold, 45 silver and 55 bronze medals to land in far second, a far cry from its performance in past years of the RIAA and even when this meet was still known as Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) meet.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr., who inspired Pangasinan II and Pangasinan I athletes to do better in the R1AA and in fact instrumental in their training, congratulated the new meet champion for bringing another honor to their home province of Pangasinan at the end of the meet on Feb. 20.

Pangasinan II and Ilocos Norte are perennial rivals in the R1AA meet, their storied rivalry started way back when the big province of Pangasinan, was parcelled into school divisions.

La Union is in third place by collecting 37 gold, 26 silver and 48 bronze medals during the weeklong meet, followed by Pangasinan I covering the first, second and third districts of the province, with 30 gold, 32 silver and 35 bronze medals for a fourth place overall finish.

Urdaneta City spurted to fifth place by winning 21 gold, 25 silver and 33 bronze medals posting just a slim lead over Batac City which captured 21 gold, 19 silver and 20 bronze medals for a sixth place finish, the highest honor it registered so, far since joining R1AA separate from locos Norte some  few years ago.

Dagupan City dropped to seventh place with 18 gold medals, at least 14 of which from the elementary  division, including 36 silver and 37 bronze medals, while San Fernando City had 16 gold, 20 silver and nine bronze medals, for 8th place.

Laoag City is ninth in the standing by collecting 13 gold, 20 silver and 21 bronze medals, followed closely by IIocos  Sur with 13 gold, 14 silver and 38 bronze medals for a 10 place finish.

San Carlos City  made its presence felt when it took home seven gold, 11 silver and 18 bronze medals while Candon City got five  gold, six silver and nine bronze medals,  with Vigan in the cellar by capturing just 11 bronze medals.

Provincial sports director Modesto Operaña said the excellent performance of the Pangasinan 2 athletes may be credited to their 15-day training in preparation to the R1AA. (Leonardo Micua/Johanne Macob/PNA)

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