Future world-class athletes gather in Palaro 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The best part about Palarong Pambasa 2012?

It is the launching pad of world-class athletes.

“To me, Palarong Pambansa is a special sporting event. For one, the competing athletes are young students who, from pre-competition preparations up to the actual competitions, work doubly hard to make their schools and region proud,” said Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro. “And second, this is where we discover extraordinary talents that bring glory to our country.”

Since the nationwide games that gathers thousands of elementary and high school athletes started in 1948, Palarong Pambansa has produced some of the nation’s best athletes.

Palarong Pambansa is a project of the Department of Education.

Past and future stars

Swimmers Enchong Dee and Akiko Thomposon, tennis player Dyan Castillejo, Philippine Basketball Association standouts Danny Ildefonso, Samboy Lim and Kirby Raymundo, and Azkals players Chieffy Caligdong and Kristopher Camcam are only some athletes who first started in Palaro.

Luistro expressed certainty that this year’s games will produce future superstars that will bring pride to the country.

“I always believe in the greatness of Filipinos when it comes to sports. I am confident that a player or two in this year’s Palarong Pambansa will become a world champion in the future,” Luistro said.

This year’s Palarong Pambansa will feature athletics, arnis, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics (women’s artistic gymnastics, men’s artistic gymnastic and rhythmic gymnastics), sipa takraw, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.
 
There is also goalball, aquatics, bocce, long jump, shot put and 100, 200, and 400 meter dash for the differently-abled student athletes. – Rappler.com