INQUIRER Sports

HE expected a close fight for the overall title. But even Visayas delegation head Ricky Ballesteros was dumbfounded when the host region was declared the overall champion of the 1st National Milo Little Olympics.

?I did not expect the Visayas to emerge overall champion,? an ecstatic Ballesteros told Cebu Daily News late last night. ?But I pinned so much hope in the ball games to bail us out.?

True enough, the Bisdaks delivered crucial points in the ball games to boost their title drive. After two days of intense competition, the Visayas collected 631 points to claim the overall title surprising powerhouse National Capital Region (NCR) which only accumulated 551 points.

Jovy Mamawal, NCR delegation head, said they had expected Visayas to rule the multi-sports meet owing to homecourt advantage.

He said the host athletes have the advantage of training facilities while their training was disrupted by the havoc created by typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng which battered Luzon and Metro Manila.

As host, Visayas' participation in the Milo meet was also maximized, he said.

Meanwhile, Luzon?s technical director and DepEd regional chairman, Bartolome Deneza said they came to Cebu to prove that no disaster can bring them down.

?We also wanted to earn gold not necessarily medals but gold in experience and values,? Deneza said.

Last night?s closing program treated visiting delegations to another grand presentation of cheerdance and fireworks display at the Cebu City Sports Center.

And in the end, everyone was a winner as participants frolicked on the oval in a united celebration of athletic prowess and character building,

Ballesteros said the colorful opening and closing ceremonies cost about P2 million, which Nestle Philippines shouldered.

And unlike other multi-sports competitions, Milo delegates were billeted in hotels while a fully air-conditioned bus was provided for each delegation courtesy of the Cebu City government.