City sports director Atty. Gregorio Austria is confident Puerto Princesa City will improve on its 16th place finish last year as it hosts this week’s Batang Pinoy 2019.
In an interview Friday, Austria said more than 100 athletes and coaches of the Puerto Princesa team are prepped for the event.
In September 2018, a 17-man Puerto Princesa City delegation placed 16th in Baguio City where the team bagged 9 golds, 8 silvers, and 8 bronze medals.
“Sobrang dami ng darating ngayon, mula Luzon hanggang Mindanao ito kaya hindi naman natin alam kung ano pa ang kalalabasan pero I assure na may makukuha ang mga players natin, ‘wag mag-alala ang mga mamamayan ng lungsod,” he said.
In March this year, Puerto Princesa City placed 11th in the Luzon qualifying leg of Batang Pinoy sports competition held in Ilagan City, Isabela.
The team bagged 10 golds, seven silvers, and six bronze medals.
Austria said that more than 10 sports events will be participated of the city’s athletes including taekwondo, swimming, wushu, and basketball.
“Handang-handa na po ang mga athletes natin, bago pa naman ang Luzon leg sa Isabela ay tuloy-tuloy na ang trainings na ginagawa natin,” he said.
Meanwhile, Provincial Sports Division sports and games inspector Francis Nemenzo said the athletes from Palawan have completed intensive training in the towns of Taytay, Quezon, Narra and Brooke’s Point for the boxing competition, lawn tennis, futsal at rugby football.
He added that the province is a co-host of Puerto Princesa City in the national sports event.
“Nagpapatuloy ang ginagawang pagsasanay ng Provincial Sports Division sa mga manlalaro mula sa mga bayan ng Taytay, Quezon, Narra at Brooke’s Point na magiging representante ng lalawigan ng Palawan para sa boxing competition, lawn tennis, futsal at rugby football. As co-host, the provincial government and the provincial sports as of now, ay very busy na kami in terms of preparation ng playing venues as well as ‘yong provincial sports personnel natin na requested by the City Sports Office and the different national sports association na tutulong to take part also as technical officials volunteers in different sports events,” he said.
