2 days Ago By Marianne L. Saberon-Abalayan
Vice Mayor Melchor Quitain Jr. and Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO) officer-in-charge Michael Denton "Mikey" Aportadera led the send-off ceremony for Davao City's delegations to the Batang Pinoy National Championships 2024 and the 11th BIMP-Eaga+NT Friendship Games 2024 at the Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center on Monday morning, November 18, 2024. The Batang Pinoy Games run from November 23 to 28 in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, which will also host the BIMP-Eaga+NT Friendship Games from December 1 to 5.
CONFIDENCE Aportadera expressed confidence in the delegations’ ability to excel, citing their strong performances in previous local and international competitions. "If we look at the historical rankings, we have consistently improved each time. Davao City athletes are improving.
Davao City athletes have shown remarkable improvement, earning recognition from other local government units (LGUs) and even other countries as a force to be reckoned with in sports," the city sports chief said. He encouraged the athletes to draw on their training, their coaches’ guidance, and their parents’ support, reminding them that all these factors contribute to success. Aportadera added, "One goal is to win and bring pride back to Davao City.
I am not really worried about that because I’ve seen your progress firsthand." ENCOURAGEMENT Vice Mayor Quitain emphasized the invaluable role of parents in shaping the athletes’ journey. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent Davao.
Do your best and enjoy. Since you are competing, you might as well give it all your best. Don't forget to always pray.
Sometimes, it's not enough to train and train without praying to God and asking him for all the blessings," he said, assuring the athletes of his prayers for their safety and success. Mayor Sebastian Duterte, through a message read by Quitain, echoed similar sentiments. "We are one with you as you take another path to greatness and show the world the Dabawenyo pride in the field of sports.
Appreciate the people who supported you—your coaches, sponsors, families, and friends—and continue striving toward greatness," Duterte said. He urged athletes to stay focused, believe in themselves, and make the most of the opportunity to build friendships with fellow athletes. The mayor said, "You have already made your hometowns, schools, and families proud and we hope that you will continue to pursue sports dreams moving forward.
We are cheering and rooting for your success. Know that we are proud of your achievements and the persons you have become today." “Real victory isn’t just about winning but also about showing discipline, teamwork, integrity, and sportsmanship,” Duterte added.
Davao City’s Batang Pinoy contingent consists of 287 athletes, 60 coaches, and 12 support staff, competing in 26 sports: archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball 3x3, beach volleyball, boxing, chess, cycling, dancesport, futsal, gymnastics, jiu-jitsu, judo, karatedo, kickboxing, kurash, lawn tennis, Muay Thai, pencak silat, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, weightlifting, and wushu. Meanwhile, the BIMP-Eaga+NT delegation features 90 athletes, 18 coaches, two team managers, and nine support staff. They will compete in archery, athletics, badminton, esports, pencak silat, sepak takraw, swimming, and karatedo.
MLSA.
