About 500 athletes in the elementary and secondary levels are expected to compete in the revival of the Negros Occidental Track and Field Association Age-Group Athletics Competition on Feb. 25 at the Escalante Central School Oval in Escalante City.

"I think that this would be the maximum number of participants (500) because the athletes will shoulder their own transportation expenses," NOTAFA president Roger Banzuela said.

Banzuela said the NOTAFA is reviving the event because athletics in Negros have been deteriorating and the Negrenses have fallen behind Iloilo in the collegiate level.

Escalante is the first leg of the competitions and the staging of the succeeding legs will depend if there will be sponsors willing to fund the event, he said.

This will be the first staging of the NOTAFA hostilities after a three-year hiatus because of lack of funds, he added.

A registration fee of P500 will be collected from the participating squads to be used for the wages and food of the officiating crew, he said.

The athletes in the boys and girls' categories of the elementary competitions will be aiming for the top honors in the 100-meter sprint, 200-m, 400-m, 800-m, 1,500-m, 4x100-m relay, 4x400-m relay, long jump, triple jump, discus throw and shot put.

The secondary level competitors will be vying for gold medals in the boys and girls' 100-m, 200-m, 400-m, 800-m, 1,500-m, 3,000-m, 4x100-m relay, 4x400-m relay, long jump, triple jump, discus throw and shot put. The secondary boys' athletes will also see action in the 5,000-m race.

The event is open to squads from the private and public schools, and the municipalities and cities in Negros Occidental, Banzuela said.

Deadline of the submission of entries and registration is on Feb. 10 at the University of St. La Salle Varsity Sports Office. Interested parties that wish to field their teams in the event may contact the La Salle VSO at telephone numbers 434-6929 and 432-1185. *CIT

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