PNG Luzon qualifying under way with 3,400 athletes at RMSC

Close to 3,400 young athletes from as far as Ilocos Norte and Bicol will eye slots in the national team when the Luzon qualifying leg of the 2015 POC-PSC Philippine National Games starts Thursday.

Competition in seven of the 23 sports kicks off hostilities in this first of three regional qualifiers for athletes 16 years old and above, where the winners advance to the national finals slated early next year in Pangasinan.

Boxing, baseball, lawn tennis and volleyball are set at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex while archery is set at Sevilla Archery Range in Novaliches, Quezon City. Sepak takraw is slated at Marikina Sports Center and chess at Makati Coliseum.

The opening ceremony is scheduled at 5 p.m. at the RMSC Badminton Hall with top officials of the Philippine Sports Commission headed by chair Richie Garcia and of the Philippine Olympic Committee led by president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. expected to grace the occasion.

“We’re expecting a huge turnout for the PNG. It will give us a chance to find fresh talents for the national team,” said Garcia.

Project director and lawyer Jay Alano said there will be two more qualifying legs in Mindanao (Sept. 10-14 in Pagadian City) and Visayas (Antique on Nov. 10-14).

Other sports calendared are arnis, athletics, badminton, billiards, cycling, dancesport, fencing, football, judo, karatedo, rugby football, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, underwater hockey and wrestling.