Badminton YEARENDER: Umangat ang badminton dahil kay MVP at Benitez

MANILA, Philippines - Mula sa solidong suporta ni Manny V. Pangilinan at mahusay na liderato ni Secretary-General Alfredo “Albee” Benitez ay umunlad at sumigla ang programa ng Philippine Badminton Association matapos hawakan ang asosasyon apat na taon na ang nakalilipas.

Pormal na nailuklok bilang mga bagong opis-yales noong 2011 kasama si PBA President Jejomar Binay, naitaas ng asosasyon ang antas ng badminton program.

Sa kanilang pagpupursige ay sinikwat ng PBA-Smash Pilipinas National Team, nasa ilalim ni Indonesian head coach Paulus Firman, ang 2014 Swiss Open men’s doubles gold medal mula sa panalo nina Peter Gabriel Magnaye at Paul Jefferson Vivas noong Oktubre sa Switzerland.

“The hard work of the players has been finally paid off. They harvested well the fruit of their labor this year,” ani Benitez, ang Representative mula sa Negros Occidental. “Winning the Swiss Open last October was PBA’s biggest achievement in 2014 and I would like to thank all the players, coaches, staffs and fellow officers.”

Ang Philippine team ay pinamumunuan nina senior national team members Antonino Gadi at Joper Escueta, national junior standouts Ros Leenard Ped-rosa at Sarah Joy Barredo at iba pa.

Maliban sa Swiss Open competition, lumahok din ang Philippine team at nakakuha ng international badminton experience sa mga overseas tournaments sa Australia, Sri Lanka at France ngayong taon.

Pinuri ni Benitez ang suporta ni telecommunication magnate Manny V. Pangilinan dahil sa pagsasagawa ng Smart Badminton National Open at Sun Cellular-Ming Ramos National Juniors nationwide three-leg tournaments na nagpalakas sa programa ng PBA.

“We are very thankful to MVP, our PBA chairman, for sponsoring various competitive local badminton open tournaments this year that also gave away cash prizes to all winners,” wika ni Benitez.

Inorganisa ni Benitez ang Bingo Bonanza National Badminton Open tournament at nagbigay ng cash incentives sa mga winners at runner ups sa Rizal Memorial badminton hall.

May basbas ng PBA at ng Philippine National Ranking System ang lahat ng nasabing mga torneo.

“We are looking forward to achieve something more or something bigger in 2015 for the Philippine team and badminton development,” sabi ni Benitez.

“Our young players are getting better each day physically and mentally. They are continuously improving.”

Hangad din ng PBA na magkaroon ng mga badminton Olympians sa 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics.