Batasan rules QC Palaro karatedo

Batasan opened the karatedo event with fireworks while Pasong Tamo ended the table tennis sideshow with a bang as action shifted to high gear yesterday in the first Batang Quezon City Palarong Panglungsod at the Amoranto Sports Complex.

Batasan harvested six gold medals including the centerpiece event of kata, the mixed kata, where it bested Philippine National Police-Crame and Barangay Pag-asa, which finished at second and third places, respectively.

The Ramirez siblings of John Windell (11-12 boys), Ludivina (13-14 girls) and Jhonalyn (15-16 girls) provided Batasan’s three gold medals while the rest -- Michael Carillo (17-21 boys) and Rose Tolentino (17-21 girls) -- delivered to cap the team’s domination of the non-contact event.

The rest of the events Batasan failed to win were won by Richard Tamandog of Pag-asa (8-10 boys), Kathleen Barcena of PNP Crame (8-10 girls), Jovica Ganapao of PNP Crame (11-12 girls), Jeffrey Mido of Novaliches (13-14 boys) and Romel Dela Cruz of Sukuro team (15-16 boys).

Karatedo tournament director Rolly Tan, a blackbelter who once represented the country in international competitions during the 80s, said the meet is being done as a qualifying event for the Quezon City team set to participate in this year’s edition of the Batang Pinoy Games.

Beverly Villar and Emilio Alberto hurdled their assignments in their respective divisions and delivered Pasong Tamo the last two gold medals of the table tennis competition also at Amoranto.

The 11-year-old Villar downed Kristine Dumlao of Roxas District to seize the girls’ 14-and-under gold medal while Alberto shamed Adrian Bartolome of San Bartolome to top the boys’ 10-and-under section.

Barangay Damayan’s Felix Mariori defeated Mark Sabaria of Pasong Tamo to bring the gold in the boys’ 14-and-under category while Rovinic Jan Dumlao capped his impressive run of victories with a gold medal finish in the 18-and-under division.

Meanwhile, about a hundred cyclists from all over the city are to compete today for the 49.4 km road race gold medal in an event which starts at the Quezon Memorial Circle and ends at Amoranto.