By REYNALD MAGALLON
The National Capital Region defended its home turf after crowning itself as the overall champions in the 2023 Palarong Pambansa but surrendered the gold medal in the centerpiece sport boys secondary basketball on Saturday, Aug. 5 at the Marikina Sports Complex.
The Big City bets successfully extended their reign in the annual national games to 16-straight editions with 85 golds, 74 silvers and 55 bronzes as of press time, although they were not as dominant as the past years after only pulling away in the final two days of the competitions.
This year’s showing was much of the same with NCR’s performance in the 2019 Palaro in Davao City where it collected 86 golds, 71 silvers and 56 bronzes although it was still way below from its average of 110 gold medals since 2012 including the five times it collected at least 100 golds.
The overall win also didn’t come without a scare as Calabarzon and Western Visayas, at some point during the week-long meet, took the pole position in the medal standings.
A strong showing in the athletics events anchored Western Visayas’ medal haul, finishing second with 60 golds, 45 silvers and 44 bronzes while Calabarzon was a consistent force in almost all of the events to come in third with 52 golds, 52 silvers and 57 bronzes.
NCR managed to pull away from the tight race all thanks to the gold surge from swimming, taekwondo and aerobic and rhythmic gymnastics in the last two days.
Karl Eldrew Yulo was also a big part of the hosts’ medal haul with his six golds in the artistic gymnastics although was beaten by Dumaguete City archer Naina Dominique Tagle for the most bemedalled athlete in this edition with her six golds and two silvers for Central Visayas.
One of the most notable titles the Big City yielded, however, was the boys’ secondary basketball after its team failed to defend its crown against the Jared Bahay-led Central Visayas.
Bahay played like a man possessed ,dropping 29 points to carry the Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu past the National University-backed NCR, 77-73. The former Gilas Pilipinas boys team member also buried the dagger long two-pointer with 40 seconds left to secure the gold for the Central Visayas which finished with 26 titles, 18 silvers and 35 bronzes.
“We’re blessed. The goal of our program is to compete with the NCR and to be no. 1. Wala na tayong masabi dito. I’m grateful na binigay ni Lord,” said Ateneo de Cebu coach Rommel Rasmo who was emotional after the momentous win that also ended the Big City’s three-year reign in the sport.
Palarong Pambansa is heading back to Visayas with Cebu City, which last hosted the national games in 1994, winning the bid to host next year’s edition.
