The search for outstanding athletes in the Philippines turned out to be a battle of local players.
University, the “iPad Sports Generation Team,” walloped neighbor and rival Silliman University at the latter’s home court last Thursday to grab the men’s volleyball indoor championship. Cheering crowds from both universities were kept in suspense watching the ball stay in the air between the two courts for long periods of time. In the end, FoundationU outscored SU 25-15, 26-24, 25-19. Awards also went to Glen Ventolero for Best Blocker, Kirby Aldeon for Best Spiker and Mark Merwa, Most Valuable Player. Dwight Sun was also awarded Best Coach.
The FU Futsal Team also gave the Philippine team a big scare by ….
The FU Men’s Beach Volleyball team also went home with the bronze medal.
Dumaguete teen archer Marie Crizabelle Merto sprang a big surprise by humbling two Olympic aspirants in the women’s open recurve competition at the City High School last Wednesday.
The 17-year-old Merto, who trains with the national pool alongside the country’s best archers, shot a high 647 (320-327) in the Qualification Round (Double 70) to clip the Olympic ambitions of Edwina delos Reyes 614 (295-319) and Rachelle Anne Cabral-dela Cruz 599 (294-305), both of NCR.
Delos Reyes and Dela Cruz are part of a six-man Philippine team who will take part in next month’s World Cup in Utah, which is the final qualifying event for the London Olympics on July 27.
Merto, an incoming Computer Engineering freshman at Silliman U, even outscored the champion in the men’s open recurve Qualification Round, NCR’s Paul Marton Dela Cruz, who had a winning 142.
Merto also defeated Delos Reyes in the Olympic Round (set system) finale, 6-0, an accomplishment which got the attention of all the archers.
Two other Dumaguetenas, Olympian Jennifer Chan and fellow Olympian Joan Tabanag tallied 696 points and 652 points, respectively to win the gold medal and bronze medals in the women’s compound open.
Chan defeated National Capital Region’s Amaya Paz Cojuangco (682) in the women’s compound open but Cojuangco got the upper hand against Chan in the women’s compound open Olympic round with 142 points. Chan got the silver with 140 points while Tabanag had 139 for the bronze.
Negros Oriental’s Vincent Balena also stunned national chess players after he topped the youth-boys division with six points. The victory made him part of the Philippine Chess Team, and National Chess Federation of the Philippines executive director GM Jayson Gonzales said they will bring Balena to Manila for further training.
Dumaguete also garnered four golds in wrestling even as Antonino Benjamin Gadi captured the men’s singles crown in badminton last Friday. Gadi, 22-year-old from Golden Shuttle Foundation, drubbed national team player Kevin Cudiamat, 21-7, 21-12, in the final of badminton events which had huge, impressive turnout of participants at the Hypermart. Powered by Razel Inyong and Vince Anthony Sumaque, Dumaguete dominated greco-roman wrestling with five gold medals at the Robinsons Place. The Dumaguete wrestling team, made up of scholars of Rep. Henry Teves collectively called Devtac, also won the team championships.
In football, the Negros Oriental Football Association (NORFA) placed second to the Philippine Navy, while third place went to a group of FU Alumni booters.
In swimming, NegOr’s Adrian Bonocan (1:24.05) and Silliman’s Michael Alvarez (1:30.98) scored second and third place, respectively, in the boys’ 19-0ver 100m butterfly, following Olympian Jessie King Lacuna (59.69).
While still 18 years old, Inyong already competes in the professional mixed martial arts category, winning the open 55kg class and the junior 52kg class. In the Open category, Inyong trounced Jerald Bosikaw of Baguio City, 4-3. He won four straight fights on his way to the crown.
”I really wanted to make my homecrowd proud of me,” said the incoming high school senior at the Siaton National High School who is proficient in jiu jitsu, wrestling and boxing and still unbeaten as a finweight in the URCC.
Sumaque, who is incoming business management freshman at Negros Oriental State University, won the 48kg junior top plum and improved on his silver-medal finish last year in Bacolod. The 18-year-old pinned down Baguio City’s Jessie Torres in 10 seconds to win the title. Teammate Roxel Jandog snared the 55kg diadem. (with PNA reports)
