Davao’s 27 golds puts Eagles in striking distance of No. 2

said Department of Education (DepEd) Davao regional director Allan Farnazo in a late Thursday night Viber interview with SunStar Davao.

He shared that two gold medals from taekwondo had yet to be officially recorded, which would potentially move the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) to second place, overtaking perennial runner-up Calabarzon, which stood at 35 golds, 57 silvers, and 51 bronzes.

“We are claiming second place for the day,” he said. “We are now good for 37 gold medals plus the remaining games. It’s a blessing from the Lord. With our preparation and strategies, we are expecting more golds.”

By 8:40 p.m. Thursday, the Davao Eagles had already outdone their 2024 Palaro performance of 32 golds, 25 silvers, and 35 bronzes — a clear sign that they’re on a stronger run this year.

Trailing at the start of the games, Davao surged from sixth place on Wednesday evening to fourth by Thursday afternoon. With multiple medal-rich events wrapping up, the Eagles temporarily flew to second before Calabarzon matched their gold count and reclaimed the spot.