LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Governor Amado Espino III sent off today (Thursday) a convoy of buses carrying members of Team Pangasinan comprising 222 athletes who will see action in the week-long 2017 Batang Pinoy Luzon qualifying leg in Vigan, Ilocos Sur from October 21 to 27.
Members of Team Pangasinan who will compete in 14 events in boys and girls divisions were accompanied by 52 coaches and 20 officials from the Pangasinan Sports and Development Council (PSDMC).
Prior to their departure, the provincial government thru the PSDMC conducted in-house training for the athletes at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC), said Provincial Sports Director Modesto M. Operania.
In sending off the athletes at NRSCC, Governor Espino urged them to bring honor and pride not only to themselves but also to their town or city and province, wishing them to excel in their chosen fields so that they could be recruited by prime educational institutions even outside the province to become varsity scholars.
The number of athletes who will compete in the different fields are: in archery, 8; arnis, 25; athletics, 28; badminton, 8; basketball, 29; boxing, 9; chess, 12; karatedo, 15; lawn tennis, 8; sepak takraw, 10; swimming, 20; table tennis, 6; taekwondo, 20; and volleyball (indoor), 20.
In 2016, Team Pangasinan posted a strong performance in the Batang Pinoy national finals when it ranked 18th in a field of 248 participating local government units that fielded a total of 3,000 athletes in the Batang Pinoy National Finals.
Then composed of just 75 athletes, Team Pangasinan was able to haul 21 medals, composed of 7 golds, 5 silvers and 9 bronzes.
Batang Pinoy is a sports development program initiated by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) intended to discover promising athletes in the grassroots.
The week-long meet in Vigan will be participated in by athletes from various LGUs in Luzon. (PNA)
