Palaro champ, 2 other junior jins enter final

Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Sarah Joy Arellano of Roxas High outfought Pampanga’s Emy Flair Figueroa to lead two other junior women bets into the finals of the ongoing Samsung Best of the Best national taekwondo championships yesterday at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

The 14-year-old Arellano, who also bagged a gold medal in the all-women New Face of the Year tourney last year, steadied in the closing minutes to clinch a featherweight finals seat.

Pampanga’s Cristina Fay Dagpin and Laguna’s Kathleen Eunice Alora also pulled through to slip into the finweight and fly finals, respectively.

Dagpin nipped Zamboanga’s Cathy Jane Hampac while Alora crushed Marie Imelda Espina, 7-0.

Figueroa, Hampac and Espina dropped to the losers’ bracket in the double elimination series organized by IMG and Philippine Taekwondo Association, sponsored by Samsung and supported by Accel and 103.5 K Lite.

US Open gold medalist Esther Marie Singson of Central Gym outclassed Diliman Preparatory School’s Jesufil Pedroza, 11-0, Wednesday to lead other semifinalists in the junior men’s and women’s divisions.

Singson, 15-year-old Araullo High junior who also triumphed in the 2000 and 2002 Palarong Pambansa, will meet Super Bodies’ Jan Ross Pacquing in the middleweight semifinals.

Also making it to the semifinals were:

Junior men — Diliman PS’ John Paul Lizardo and Cotabato’s Rolly Pentecoste, finweight; Zamboanga’s Jerome Reyes and BACSMA’s Alvin de Larrazabal, bantam; and New Era’s Jordan Gasgas, welter.

Junior women — SSA’s Joanne Panotes and Gerrielyn Decatus, bantam; and DPS’ Sabrina Simbulan and SLP Taekwondo Gym’s Charissa Mae Sawali, light.

Lizardo, US Open silver medalist and 2000 Korea Open gold winner, whipped Don Bosco’s Macky Remitter, 8-0, to earn a shot at Pentecoste, default winner over LSM’s Marco Luis Villanueva.

Reyes nipped Mark Alvin Torno, 4-3, after scoring the division’s first knockout victory at the expense of Cavite’s Jose Leo Gonzales, while De Larrazabal hurdled DPS’ Russel Mendoza, 5-1, and San Beda’s Carlito Dacuma.

Gasgas proved too much for Bedan Leo Marko Valencia, winning by a 9-0 count.

Panotes won by superiority over Camille Valencia after they had fought a 1-1 draw, and earned a semis date with Decatus, who beat Rodha Catarig, 9-4, while Simbulan edged Shirley Anne Epan, 8-6, to arrange advance against Sawali, default winner over Ruzzel Jane Zamora.