SUBIC BAY FREEPORT —The Blue Wolves emerged as back-to-back champion, keeping their title in the recently-concluded 9th Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Mini-Olympic games held recently.
The champion team, which consisted of 11 departments anchored by the Office of the Chairman and Administrator, easily held the commanding lead with 23 gold medals, 21 silvers, and 16 bronze medals.
The Blue Wolves beat three other teams in signature events that included basketball, volleyball, street dance competition, track and field, swimming, fun run, duathlon, and obstacle course race.
Meanwhile, first runner-up Green Cobras, a 12-department team that was led by the Office of the Senior Deputy Administrator for Operations, went home with 12 golds, 9 silvers, and 9 bronze medals.
The second runner-up title went to Yellow Eagles, a team headed by the Office of the Senior Deputy Administrator for Business and Investment, which won 7 golds, 9 silvers, and 12 bronze medals.
The team of Red Boars led by the Office of the Senior Deputy Administrator for Support Services ended up last with 6 golds, 6 silvers, and 8 bronze medals.
SBMA SDA for Support Services Ramon Agregado handed the medals to the winners during the awarding ceremony that capped the three-day games and congratulated all the teams for their efforts and sportsmanship.
Winners of team and individual events received cash prizes.
Agregado also praised the organizers and the various committees for handling the mini-Olympics well.
An award for “biggest delegation” was also given to the Blue Wolves for garnering a total of 141.6 points. Yellow Eagles came second with 75.7 points, while Green Cobras and Red Boars received 71.1 and 41 points, respectively.
This was the eighth iteration of the SBMA mini-Olympics, which aimed to foster sportsmanship and camaraderie among employees. The annual games were organized by the SBMA Human Resources Management Department.
SBMA Deputy Administrator for Public Works and Technical Services Group Marco Estabillo, who is mini-Olympics committee chairperson, said that while the previous mini-Olympics was held barely five months ago, the 2019 games had to be held early to make way for the renovation of sports facilities here in time for the SEA Games.
At least 16 events in the 30th Southeast Asian Games were scheduled to be played in Subic when the Philippines hosts the biennial regional multi-sport event from November 30 to December 11, 2019. (Dante M. Salvana)