Balbalan delegation shines with 118 medals in provincial meet

Balbalan, Kalinga - Delegates from Balbalan municipality showcased outstanding athleticism, bagging a total of 118 medals at the recently concluded Kalinga Provincial Meet 2024 held in Rizal from January 25 to 28.

According to records from the Department of Kalinga, the municipality secured an impressive tally of 36 gold medals, 38 silver medals, and 43 bronze medals.

The achievements were distributed across both elementary and secondary levels, with 7 gold, 15 silver, and 21 bronze medals in the elementary division, and 29 gold, 23 silver, and 22 bronze medals in the secondary division.

However, Mayor Almar Malannag, in an exclusive statement to GURU Press Cordillera, clarified that their players in the boys' division of Volleyball (elementary) secured a victory, thus adjusting their total gold medals to 38.

Despite this feat, the town settled at the 4th rank in the overall standings.

Mayor Malannag lamented the absence of athletes from Balbalan Agri-Industrial High School, citing an unfortunate clash with exams that led to a lack of practice for the players.

Although the mayor missed the opening program due to his commitment as the guest speaker for Barangay Balbalasang Fiesta, he joined the players in the succeeding days.

Witnessing the athletes' exemplary dedication, he took immense pride in their performance and commended all athletes and coaches for making Balbalan shine despite facing significant challenges.

Encouraged by the outstanding performance, Malannag is planning to establish a swimming pool not only for them but also for other youth in the town.

He assured that budgets were allocated for sports improvement to further enhance the sporting landscape in Balbalan.