LAOAG City—Eighteen gold medals will be at stake when action in athletics and the demonstration sport of weightlifting get going at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa here on Monday.
Sixteen gold medals will be up for grabs in track and field, with the first coming from the secondary girls’ 3000-meter event at 6 a.m. at the Ferdinand Marcos Stadium stadium, the main venue of the games.
The next gold medals will come from the elementary boys’ long jump, the elementary girls’ discus throw, the secondary boys’ long jump and the secondary girls’ discus throw.
At the Laoag Central Elementary School, medalists will be declared following the staging of the 48-kg boys’ event and the 40-kg girls’ category matches in weightlifting, which will be run by Olympic gold medallist Hidilyn Diaz.
Weightlifting, which makes its debut appearance in the games, has been included in the calendar, due to its potential of delivering honors for the Philippines in the international stage, like Diaz, who won the country’s first gold medal in the Olympics four years ago in Tokyo.
“For many years, it has been my dream and the community to see weightlifting in the Palarong Pambansa “said Diaz, following a visit at the early morning training sessions.
Seventy athletes from nine regions have joined in the 10 weightlifting categories for secondary boys and girls.
Regional bets from Southern Tagalog, who came up with outstanding finishes in the recent National Open, are expected to shine in middle distance running events of athletics.
Thirteen-year-old Pearl Asilo, a Grade 7 National Academy of Sports student, who came from the province of Misamis Occidental, is projected to make a mark in the late afternoon elementary girls’ long jump action
In the last National Open in Capas, Asilo, won the gold medal in the women’s under 18 events, with a 5.27-meter leap.
This was higher than the jump of 17-year-old Ma. Cristina Indaya (5.10) and University of Santo Tomas Rica Clavell (5.10).
Sixteen-year-old Khiane Manicad, who came up empty handed last year, will be back for Southern Tagalog region after an improvement in his performance in the secondary boys’ long jump event.
A 6.8-meter leap during training could put her in contention against last year’s podium finishers, Sam Bantillo of Region VI, Region III’s John Patricio and teammate Mark Astrero.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. officially opened the games and spoke of the government’s continued support for sports.
“Kami naman sa pamahalaan, hangga’t sa abot ng aming makakaya, ginagawa po namin ang lahat para matulungan kayong maging mahusay na manlalaro,” Marcos said.
Roger Tapia, Eric Ang, Jesson Cid, Ed Daquioag, Anthony Domingo, James Espiritu, and the Ilocos Norte junior baseball and softball teams led the symbolic lighting of the urn to during the three-hour ceremonies on Saturday evening.
The light beam was crafted by a team of Ilokano designers, led by Palaro 2025 creative director and Ilocos Norte tourism officer Aian Raquel, together with Stewart Magayano and Allan Sonajo.
“We want to ensure that our games are ecologically sound,” said outgoing Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc.
