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The centerpiece sports of athletics and swimming hog the spotlight today as hostilities in the simultaneous Philippine National Games and Batang Pinoy National Championships go full throttle in the various venues in Metro Manila.
Both top projects of the Philippine Sports Commission, the PNG, and Batang Pinoy athletic competitions will be held at Philsports Oval in Pasig while the swimming meets for the BP and PNG will simultaneously be held at thee Teofilo Yldefonso Aquatic Center inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and Philsports pool in Pasig City.
Capping a hectic year for the government sports agency, both sports fests have drawn a huge field of 18,000 athletes from 193 local government units from all over the country.
PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann has pledged that all of the participating athletes, the majority of them aspiring to compete for flag and country abroad, would be treated to “an international environment” similar to what national athletes are used to in overseas competitions.
This began yesterday with a festive opening ceremony for both sports fests held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium graced by the country’s sports icons and role models and some of the country’s top government leaders headed by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
Among the sports heroes and heroines who graced the affair were Tokyo Olympic gold medalist and weightlifter Hidylin Diaz, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, tennis star Alex Eala, and gymnast Karl Eldrew Yulo, the younger sibling of two-time world champion Carlos Edriel Yulo, who is a proud product of the Batang Pinoy.
“I stand before you with immense pride and excitement as we gather for the opening rites of the 2023 Batang Pinoy and Philippine National Games,” Bachmann said in his welcome speech.
“It is truly an honor to witness the convergence of our nation’s finest athletes, representing the wide spectrum of talent that makes our country unique and vibrant. In the heart of every athlete lies a seed that grows in the pursuit of excellence and the passion to overcome challenges,” he noted.
“Sa aming mga atleta, tandaan ninyo na ang bawat hakbang sa paglalakbay na ito ay isang hakbang tungo sa kadakilaan. Embrace the lessons, cherish the experiences, and carry the pride of representing our beloved nation,” the PSC chairman said.
Besides the two Olympic sports, also included in the roster of disciplines are archery, archery, athletics, badminton, 3×3 basketball, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, football, gymnastics, judo, karate, kickboxing, lawn tennis, muay Thai, pencak silat, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, beach volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, and wushu.
The PSC has made some adjustments to both the PNG and BP which are held in partnership with the Office of the President, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Philippine Olympic Committee, Department of Education, PBA, Pocari Sweat, Milo, PLDT and Smart, Grab, Chooks to Go and Shakey’s.
The PNG will be limited to athletes from 18 years old and above while the Batang Pinoy will be open for those 17 years old and below, unlike the two previous editions of the age group competition when only 15 years old and under campaigners were included.
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