GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The biggest and grandest edition of the Batang Pinoy National Championships kicks off today, hosting about 19,000 of the country’s best grassroots athletes aged 12 to 17.
The annual multi-sport meet, organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and running from October 25 to 30, will feature 27 sports to be participated in by 18,741 athletes and accompanied by 4,397 coaches converging from 188 local government units across the archipelago.
Starting off in the morning are the swimming and athletics events at the Antonio Acharon Sports Complex, while most other events will commence in their respective venues as the day progresses in the event co-presenter by Yakult, MILO, Summit Drinking Watwe, Cynergy Artworks, and Pocari Sweat.
Pasig City will look to defend its crown after snatching it last year from four-time defending champion Baguio City, copping 105 gold, 64 silver, and 116 bronze medals in the process.
Baguio City has sent 470-strong delegation of athletes and coaches.
Paul Rillorta, Sports Administration Officer III, said Team Baguio is very determined in their training and preparations to win this year’s overall championship crown.
“Sa tingin namin lalaban ‘yang mga atleta natin– lalaban ‘yan. Kasi, kinuha naman natin, talagang (the) best of the best. Hopefully, makuha natin ‘yung crown uli. Pero, ‘yung importante naman d’yan is, lumaban sila, nag-enjoy sila.” Rillorta said.
Rillorta pointed out that Baguio has always been especially dominant when it came to combative sports like taekwondo, Muay Thai, and Boxing.
Meanwhile, host General Santos City is raring to improve on its fifth-place finish in the 2024 meet held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
A ₱15-million prize pool is at stake, with ₱5 million earmarked for the overall champion, ₱4 million for second, ₱3 million for third, ₱2 million for fourth, and ₱1 million for fifth place.
A grand opening ceremony at the Acharon Sports Complex, provided color and pageantry to the event, which General Santos City is hosting for the first time.
PSC Chairman John Patrick C. Gregorio delivered a rousing speech to inspire the student-athletes in attendance, citing their importance to the continued development of Philippine sports.
General Santos City Mayor Lorelie G. Pacquiao also delivered her welcome remarks, while Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla gave the keynote address.
The festivities were capped off by a torch relay participated in by two of Mindanao’s greatest athletes—eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo.
Diaz-Naranjo ran before handing off the torch to Pacquiao, who lit the cauldron to symbolize the start of competition.
The 27 sports to be contested include archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, 3×3 basketball, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, futsal, gymnastics, jiu-jitsu, judo, kickboxing, karate, muay, pencak silat, sepak takraw, soft tennis, swimming, tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and wushu. NLMonitor
