Leyte to host international darts competition

TACLOBAN CITY, April 16  -- Leyte province will host a four-day international darts competition this week, a former solon confirmed.

The international darts competition to be held at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo town, which will be opening on April 19, will be the first of such competition to be held in the region.

Former An Waray partylist representative Florencio Noel, one of the sponsor of the international sporting event, said on Monday that key officials of the Philippine Sports Commission will be attending the event.

Noel said considering that the Philippines will be hosting next year’s ASEAN Games, there is a possibility that darts will be included among its competitions.

Noel said over 300 darters have so far registered for the four-day international darts competition.

The former solon said they expect that the number of darters who will participate will increase as registration will continue before the day of the competition itself.

Aside from darters from the country, darters from United States of America, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Croatia, Poland, Austria, England, France, Indonesia and Brunei signified to join the event.

“This will be the first time that such kind of event will be held here,” Noel said.

Noel said they hope that hosting the international darts competition would further help in rekindling the interest of sports lover on darts. 

“In fact, we have some of the best darts players in the country,” he said.

And if darts will be included in next year’s ASEAN Games, Noel said it could become one of the country’s sources of medal hauls.

He added the event will help boost the local tourism and economy of Palo and Tacloban City where participants will stay. (SQM/PNA)