By MERLY R. TIBALAO LINGAYEN—

Some 6, 000 participants including athletes, coaches and technical officials from 13 delegations in Region I are expected to clash in various sports events in the upcoming Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) meet slated on February 24 to 29 at the Don Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Complex (NRSCC) in Lingayen.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. will lead the opening ceremony to welcome the delegations from San Fernando, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Vigan City, Candon City, Laoag City, Pangasinan Divisions I and II, Dagupan City, Urdaneta City, San Carlos City and Alaminos City.

Modesto Operaña and Leo Urmaza, Pangasinan sports coordinator, said the provincial government has been working closely with the Pangasinan DepEd Division I, host of this year’s IRAA meet, to ensure the success of the upcoming event.

“This will also serve as dry-run for the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s biggest sports event, to be hosted by the province in April next year,” Urmaza said.

Pangasinan Division I Education Supervisor Dr. Alfredo Z. Nipal revealed that there are some 2,500 Pangasinan athletes from the elementary and secondary level who will participate in the 17 sports events during the six-day IRAA competitions.

The events include boxing, basketball, badminton, softball, football, baseball, volleyball, gymnastics, athletics, chess, lawn tennis, table teniis, archery, arnis, sepak takraw, sipa takraw and swimming.

According to Nipal, the Pangasinan DepEd Divisions I and II wiIl be fielding at least 800 athletes in different sports events.

These athletes, he added, are considered as the “best players” in the just-concluded Pangasinan Olympic Meet which was held separately at the NRSCC on January 21-25 for Pangasinan I and also Tayug National High School on January 28-31 for Pangasinan II.

Division I captured the second place slot (elementary division) while Division II also placed second (secondary division) in the over-all standing during the 2007 IRAA meet held in San Carlos City.

Nipal assured the coming delegations that schools in Binmaley and Lingayen where they will be billeted, will be properly secured and well-ventilated.