Rio’s condition could threaten 2016 Olympics

By Jedd Francis De Luna

“It is the dirtiest place [we] have ever trained or competed in.”

This was the response of several Olympic sailors after practicing at the sailing venue in Rio de Janeiro, where the 2016 Olympic Games will take place

According to a report by the Daily Mail, athletes in swimming and sailing events, who were practicing at their respective venues in the city, complained about the stench.

The report also added that the untreated sewage in the city can be estimated at around 60%, which the waters will also flow to swimming, rowing, and sailing venues at the Olympics, one of which is the iconic Guanabara Bay, which is still a concern because of illegal dumpings.

It said that nearly 80-100 tons of garbage are washed into the bay every single day, but the government is only able to remove nearly 400 tons a month.

Even Mario Andrada, the Rio 2016 Olympics Director of Communcations said that “[t]here is a huge problem with garbage,” and added that even though “the water is not fully clean, it will be safe for the Olympics.”

The Olympics will commence on the 5^th of August the following year, while the Paralympics will commence on the 7^th of September the following year as well.

‘Super bacteria’ also causes threat

In December, a dry-resistant ‘super bacteria,’ that can normally be found in hospital institutions, was discovered in the water around the Guanabara Bay, according to reports from The Forbes.

The Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, of the Brazil Health ministry), found based on their water quality tests that along with the bay and river, several sites, including Flamengo beach, where tourists can watch the event, is contaminated with these organisms that carry carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia enzyme, or also known as KPC, the report added.

Filipinos eye for Olympics

Despite these issues, Filipino athletes still pursue to make it through the 2016 Rio Olympics, one is BMX race Daniel Caluag, who won the country’s first gold medal in the 17^th Asian Games.

Caluag said in a report with The Philippine Star that he “and [his] coach has already set [their] goal, that is the Rio Olympics.”

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin, too, wants to put the Philippine team to the Olympics next year.

“I wanna see Gilas Pilipinas in Rio in the Olympics. I wanna see us have gold medals in our next FIBA Asia qualifications,” said Baldwin in a report from GMA News.

UST RECLAIMS JUST IN TIME FOR 40TH BOUNCING BACK FOR SEASON 77

By Karla Jiao

As to what UAAP Sports TV proclaimed, “spread the news: University of Santo Tomas (UST) is back on top”.

Reclaiming the title for their 40^th year, the home of the Growling Tigers unseated the back-to-back overall champion Archers. Based on the official tally: UST copped a score of 283; while De La Salle University got 280; and, landing in third place, the University of the Philippines had 236.

Saturday morning of July 12, 2014 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with the the theme “Unity in Excellence”, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 77 kicked off having the University of the East (UE) as the host school.

The eight participating universities competed in fifteen sports to contest for the general championship. Each sport being hosted by a university.

Collecting a point of 152 on the first semester under the victories of men’s taekwondo, women’s beach volleyball, and men’s and women’s judo, on top of a runner-up (men’s beach volleyball) and four (women’s taekwondo, poomsae, men’s table tennis, and men’s swimming) third-place finishes based on the UAAP Sports TV tally.

The Tigers’ triumphs on the second semester managed to keep them on top as the women’s athletics won the title, while placing second in men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s fencing; leaving in third-place for the men’s volleyball, men’s chess, men’s athletics, and softball based on the UAAP Sports TV tally.

The overall champion is determined by a point system, following the points of 8, 6, 4, 2, and 1 are given to participating teams according to order of their finish leaving the system to give 15 points to the champion team of a UAAP event, 12 to the runner-up, and 10 to the third placer.

INFOGRAPHIC: Tale of the Tape: Pacquiao vs. Mayweather

By Oliver Palileo

Palarong Pambansa 2015 sets in Davao del Norte

By Oliver Palileo

The annual multi-sporting completion will be held at Tagum City, Davao del Norte in May 3 to 9, 2015.

This is after a careful deliberation by the Department of Education (DepEd) to six areas in Mindanao, namely Tagum City, Dipolog City (Zamboanga del Norte), Pagadian City (Zamboanga del Sur), Koronadal City (South Cotabato), Lanao del Norte, and the CARAGA region.

With the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), DepEd has an official inspection on the facilities that will be using during the 7-week sports fest. And based on the criteria that the agencies given, Tagum City garnered the highest score.

“The only thing we need to expect is for Tagum to deliver,” Sec. Armin Luistro answered when he was questioned about his expectations from this year’s host city. “Ang maganda sa Tagum ay mukhang handa na ang lahat. Hindi na kailangan pa ng dagdag na buwang preparasyon,” he added.

Over 15,000 elementary and high school students from all over the country will compete in 15 regular games and 5 demonstrated games.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario feels that hosting the annual sports fest is a priviledge. “It gives us the opportunity not only to showcase our capability to stage multisport competitions, but also to show how well the province and the region have progressed in terms of business, economy and tourism,” the governor added.

 

Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013

Republic Act No. 10588 or also known as the Palarong Pambansa Act of 2013 is a law signed by President Benigno Aquino III on May 27, 2013. This is to “promote physical education and encourage sports programs, league competitions and amateur sports, including training for international competitions, to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry through the institutionalization of the Palarong Pambansa as the country’s premier national sporting event.”

According to the law there are 15 elementary sports and 21 high school sports that are must be included in the competition but the law also suggest that these are not limited. Common sports that will found in both elementary and high school divisions are athletics, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

It is also said that there will be a Palarong Pambansa Board wherein they will be the lead policy-maker and lead coordinating body for the preparation and conduct of Palarong Pambansa. It will consists of the secretary of DepEd which he/she will be the chairperson of the board, four (4) undersecretaries and three (3) assistant secretaries of DepEd, the chairman of Philippine Sports Commission and secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).