The Palarong Pambansa has undeniably produced frequent first-class athletes in its fifty-nine years of presence. After many big names, a new entry to its rankings is Mia Meagey Niñura, 16 from Davao Region. Mia has received recruitment offers from 2 American universities naming the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles.

Andrew William Pirie, the Filipino-New Zealander coach, is in touch with Jessica Barnard, the UCLA Fil-Am runner for Mia’s future. Pirie contacted Maylene Quimque, Mia’s current coach, when he watched the girl trail behind her opponent Jian Calis in their previous showdown. Pirie (Enz) saw great potential in the girl. On the other hand, Quimque, however, thinks that Mia is quite young to fly to United States. The trackster is presently in 11^th Grade while her coach saving as her guardian too.

Discussions are in progress on whether Mia’s family will be allowing her to take the offer after she starts her college. She said, “I am ok with it,” when reporters asked her if she would joyfully go to the United States in order to continue her goals. Besides USC and UCLA, the Manila’s University of Santo Tomas has also uttered desire to admit the gold medalist for the athletics team of their college.

The native of Digos City earned her 1^st gold medal of present year’s Palaro in the 2^nd girls 3,000 meter race in the category of athletics. She also broke record made previous year by Calis from Northern Mindanao. This 10:10.6 record was replaced with an inspiring 10:03.4.

It is the 1^st time for her to claim a gold medal in her participation of six years in the sporting event. “I desired to win for giving back to my coach”, she expressed.

Mia doesn’t just play for fame or for her education. Mainly and most significantly, she plays for her parents and her coach. Her father is a farmer while mother is a housewife and she is the only daughter of them. She openly admits the financial difficulties being faced by her family.

“Though I am their only child, still, I can observe their sacrifices and hard work for me and this is the reason I do my best’’, she said. She will compete again in the 1,500 and 800 meters.

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