TAGBILARAN CITY -- The 2018 Private Schools Athletic Association Sports Foundation, Inc. (PRISAA) National Games concluded Friday night with Central Visayas (Region 7) and Western Visayas (Region 6) dominating their respective divisions.
Central Visayas garnered 143 golds, 65 silvers and 53 bronzes to win the overall senior title for the fourth straight year in the tournament supported by the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.
Swimming (38), weightlifting (15) and karatedo (14) delivered the golds for Central Visayas, which also got six in boxing coming from Suganob siblings Regie (light flyweight) and Rode (bantamweight), Seth Gentallan (pinweight), Marco Pomar (flyweight), Cherwellah Cantel (light welterweight) and Gilbert Arceo (middleweight).
Western Visayas pocketed 78 golds, including 22 in athletics and 16 in swimming, to finish second overall in the senior division. The region also got 57 silvers and 68 bronzes.
Davao (Region 11) won the baseball event to place third with 37 golds, 38 silvers and 51 bronzes while Western Mindanao (Region 9) was fourth with 23 golds, 22 coming from weightlifting, 5 silvers and 5 bronzes.
Bicol (Region 5) ruled softball and indoor volleyball to end up in fifth place with 18 golds, 16 silvers and 51 bronzes followed by Soccsksargen (Region 12) with 17 golds, 49 silvers and 43 bronzes.
Meanwhile, Western Visayas retained the overall title in the youth division after collecting 141 golds, 63 silvers and 39 bronzes. The region dominated athletics (32 golds), taekwondo (16) and badminton (14).
Stefany Louis Sa-ac, seeing action for the first time in the tournament, was named the most outstanding swimmer after winning seven golds.
The 13-year-old Grade 8 student from Ateneo de Iloilo ruled the 200-m freestyle, 400-m freestyle, 100-m backstroke, 400-m backstroke, 200-m individual medley, 4x50-m freestyle relay and 4x100-m freestyle relay events.
Central Visayas placed second with 51 golds, 27 silvers and 20 bronzes followed by Davao region with 42 golds, 38 silvers and 55 bronzes.
Cagayan Valley (Region 2) was fourth with 15 golds, 32 silvers and 24 bronzes. The gold winners in karatedo are Darlene Maramara (-46kg. girls kumite), Rovalyn Bungag (-60kg. girls kumite), Hanna Rhyjean De Vera (+60kg. girls kumite), Evonne Carl Gumabay (-48kg. boys kumite), Adolph Turingan (-65kg. boys kumite) and Karl Davy Bernardino (+65kg. boys kumite).
Central Luzon (Region 3) won the boys basketball title to finish sixth with 14 golds, 42 silvers and 32 bronzes.
PRISAA National Executive Director Elbert Atilano Sr. was happy to note that based on the evaluation report, the tournament was a success.
“As per evaluation of the athletes, coaches and technical officials, this year's hosting was excellent. I give the credit to everyone involved in the tournament,” said Atilano, who serves as head of the Universidad de Zamboanga Weightlifting Training Center. He is responsible for molding 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz into a world-class athlete.
Davao Region will host next year's edition and PRISAA Region 11 president, Ma. Lita Montalban, said “we had a successful hosting in Tagum (2014) and we will do our best when we play host again next year.” (PNA)
