One of many highlights in the course of the opening ceremony of the 2025 PRISAA Nationwide Video games.| Picture from the College of Cagayan Valley
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Central Visayas, the reigning general champions of the Personal Faculties Athletic Affiliation (PRISAA), kicked off their title-retention marketing campaign on the 2025 PRISAA Nationwide Video games in Tuguegarao Metropolis.
PRISAA Area 7 secretariat Bernard Ricablanca stays optimistic, but cautious in regards to the possibilities of Central Visayas in defending its title.
The separation of the Negros Island cities, together with Dumaguete and its neighboring areas, which have now fashioned the Negros Island Area (NIR), presents a brand new problem.
READ: Cebu, Bohol tracksters haul a number of golds in PRISAA-7 video games
In an interview with CDN Digital, Ricablanca acknowledged that different areas have strengthened their athletes roster, making this yr’s competitors much more intense.
“Different areas have gotten stronger since final yr. Area IV-A, Area 6, and NIR have all develop into extra aggressive. We’ll miss Dumaguete, and Zamboanga gained’t be a straightforward opponent both,” Ricablanca mentioned.
READ: Cesafi champs, contenders earn spots in PRISAA Nationwide Video games
Nevertheless, he stays hopeful that Central Visayas, primarily made up of champion groups and athletes from the Cebu Faculties Athletic Basis, Inc. (CESAFI), will carry out nicely within the week-long nationwide meet. The delegation additionally consists of Boholano athletes who certified ultimately month’s PRISAA regional meet in Cebu Metropolis.
2024 MEDAL STANDINGS
Final yr, Central Visayas dominated the medal standings, accumulating 119 gold, 73 silver, and 65 bronze medals. Area 6 (Western Visayas) positioned second with a tally of 79 golds, 38 silvers, and 55 bronzes, adopted by the Cordillera Administrative Area (CAR) in third place with 54 golds, 46 silvers, and 54 bronzes.
Regardless of the spectacular gold medal haul in 2024, Ricablanca identified that this yr’s delegation, which consists of about 500 athletes and coaches, will function fewer highschool opponents.
“We don’t have as many highschool entries this yr, however we’ve introduced sturdy school athletes. The competitors is hard, however our athletes are ready,” Ricablanca mentioned.
He expressed confidence that the constant publicity to high-level competitions like Cesafi, CVIRAA, and the PRISAA regional meet will give Central Visayas a aggressive edge.
“A lot of our athletes come from Cesafi, then they transfer on to regionals, so the publicity by no means stops,” he added.
Ricablanca is especially eager for sturdy performances from the desk tennis workforce, weightlifting, taekwondo, karate, and dancesports, that are anticipated to contribute important gold medals.
SHIFT IN STANDINGS
Whereas Ricablanca is optimistic about Central Visayas’ probabilities, he acknowledged the potential for a shift within the standings.
“If we don’t clinch the championship, we hope to complete within the prime three. We’re ready, however we’re not taking something without any consideration. We simply want to remain centered and proceed performing nicely,” he mentioned.
The primary gold medal for Central Visayas got here early, courtesy of final yr’s a number of gold medalist, Mark Mahinay of the College of Cebu Site owners. Mahinay triumphed within the males’s 5,000-meter run within the morning of April 7 on the Cagayan Sports activities Coliseum in Tuguegarao Metropolis.
Mahinay, additionally representing the Spectrum Runners, accomplished the race in quarter-hour and 26.3 seconds, ending forward of Ken Jay Moreto of Basic Santos Metropolis (15:44.03) and Mark Rennel Hubag of South Cotabato (15:44.08).
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