Archers on target for future

The arrows flew straight and true for Filipino archers at the second Asean Grand Prix tournament in Kuala Lumpur last August. It was one of the year’s success stories in Philippine sports.

In a fiery assault, the crack Philippine squad established 11 national records in emerging overall champion with 13 medals, including three golds each from Amaya Paz and Earl Benjamin Yap in the compound bow division.

Yap, 21, set nine records and equaled one in a remarkable feat. Paz, 20, added three silvers to her haul and duplicated the 1373 round record she posted at the Southeast Asian Games last year.

The discovery in the competition was rookie Kit Cojuangco who finished seventh in the 90-meter and 70-meter distances in the individual compound. Yap ruled both events and beat rivals from 18 countries.

In karate, sixth grader Alisa Karmina Veguillas Cifra and Ana Ecaterina Cordero Tan won gold medals at the fifth World Shitoryu Karatedo Championships in Tokyo last September.

Cifra, 11, upset Japan’s Haduki, 7-3, in the 11-12 age group finals of the girls’ kumite while Tan whipped Mexico’s Umi Choda in the 17-18 age group finals of the girls kata. More than 3,000 athletes from Japan and over 50 other countries participated in the competitions.

Tan, a University of the Philippines freshman, also took a bronze in the 17-18 age group girls’ kumite. Cifra is the daughter of 1991 and 1993 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Ana Katrina Veguillas and 1997 World Cup silver medalist Francis Cifra.

In badminton, the world’s No. 21 mixed doubles pair of Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion pocketed back-to-back gold medals in tournaments in Australia and New Zealand last June.

The Asuncions trimmed Daniel and Lianne Shirley, 17-21, 21-17, 21-13, to snatch the Babolat North Harbor title in New Zealand. In the semis, the Filipino tandem beat Geoff and Rebecca Bellingham, 21-8, 21-17. The tournament drew participants from England, Scotland, Ireland, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Fiji and the Philippines.

In Australia, the brother-and-sister pair beat Raj and Renuga Veeran, 18-21, 21-14, 21-17, in the finals of the Ballarat Eureka Championships.

Several events were prominently featured in the sports pages during the year.

In basketball, the University of Santo Tomas defeated Ateneo in a best-of-three series for the UAAP seniors championship and San Beda College upended Philippine Christian University for the NCAA version.

University of the East beat the Red Lions, 66-59, for the Collegiate Champions League title and La Salle defeated Jose Rizal University for the seniors crown in the second Homegrown Cup.

Last July, Ozamiz Cotta crushed Pagadian, 105-83, to become the first back-to-back National Basketball Conference (NBC) champion in three years. Ex-pros Marlon Basco and Egay Echavez were the mainstays of coach Albert Calvo’s title squad. This month, Ozamiz won its third consecutive NBC title.

Harbour Centre edged Toyota-Otis, three games to two, to annex the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) Unity Cup crown. In the Heroes Cup earlier, Magnolia beat Welcoat, 3-2. The PBL is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season and appropriately called the first conference of 2006-07 the Silver Cup.

Lyceum outclassed St. Benilde, 44-35, to capture the Women’s NCAA senior title at the St. Scholastica Gym last October. The Lady Pirates were led by Matsuno Machiko, Diana Reyes, Rowena San Juan and April Lualhati.

Red Bull took the Fiesta Conference crown in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) while Purefoods captured the Philippine Cup to end a rousing 2005-06 season marked by the highest average attendance since 1997.

The PBA rookie draft brought in a star-studded cast as Asia’s first play-for-play league inaugurated its 32nd campaign and welcomed new franchise Welcoat to the fold last October. Among the blue-chip rookies are Kelly Williams, Arwind Santos, L. A. Tenorio, Jay-R Reyes, Chris Pacana, Jun-Jun Cabatu and Joseph Yeo.

Major player transfers involved Rafi Reavis, Rudy Hatfield, Johnny Abarrientos, Billy Mamaril and Ronald Tubid moving to Ginebra San Miguel, Willie Wilson and Romel Adducul to San Miguel Beer, Rob Wainwright, Joey Mente, Niño Gelig, Jojo Tangkay, Adonis Sta. Maria, Denver Lopez and Gilbert Lao to Welcoat, Allan Salangsang and Kalani Ferreria to Coca-Cola and Aris Dimaunahan to Air21.

Erwin Evangelista, 21, set a new Guinness world record by dribbling a basketball in 45 hours and 22 minutes, eclipsing the mark of 26 hours and 40 minutes held by Joseph Odhiambo.

St. Benilde cager Mark Magsumbol made history by becoming the first Filipino to play in the American Basketball Association. He was recruited to suit up for the San Jose Skyrockets. Magsumbol was later drafted by Sta. Lucia Realty in the PBA.

Elimination rounds were held in Cebu, Dagupan, Davao and Manila before the 100 finalists gathered for the ultimate challenge. The dribbling began at 4 p.m. last Oct. 28 and Evangelista established the new record at 1:22 p.m. on Oct. 30.

The MVP Cup was a huge success as Philippine Long Distance Tel. Co. chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan hosted the second staging of the Europe versus Asia badminton competition at the Big Dome last July. Europe exacted sweet revenge on Asia by claiming the $60,000 first prize. Some of the world’s top players saw action and local fans were treated to high-caliber badminton by Lin Dan, Kenneth Jonassen, Taufik Hidayat, Gail Emms, Dona Kellogg, Thomas Laybourn, Kamilla Rytter-Juhl, Yao Jie and Zhang Ning, among others.

The World Wrestling Entertainment brought in stars from "Raw" and "SmackDown" for shows at the Araneta Coliseum last February and October. Triple H, the Big Show and Ric Flair headlined the "Raw" cast that performed in two shows before a combined crowd of 32,000 fans. Fil-Greek grappler Batista, the Undertaker and King Booker were the stars in the "SmackDown" shows that also packed the Cubao arena.

It was estimated that the four shows grossed close to P80 Million in ticket sales.

Mixed martial arts also had its share of the sports headlines. Promoter Alvin Aguilar organized the eighth and ninth editions of the Universal Reality Combat Championships (URCC). A rival group called "Fearless" had its own shows.

Manila Sports Council chairman Ali Atienza organized the second Manila Youth Games for 17-and-under athletes last April. Naga City hosted the 58th Palarong Pambansa with 7,650 athletes vying for honors in 22 elementary and 27 secondary level events.

In cycling, Santy Barnachea became the ninth two-time winner of the prestigious Tour Pilipinas as he rode his way to victory in the Padyak Pinoy edition last May. Barnachea, 30, claimed the P75,000 first prize and got a bonus of P25,000 for keeping the yellow jersey for six straight days and finishing in the top five in three stages of the eight-day race.

The other two-time tour winners are Jose Sumalde, Cornelio Padilla, Manuel Reynante, Jacinto Sicam, Carlo Guieb, Renato Dolosa and Warren Davadilla. Antonio Arzala won three bikathon crowns. Barnachea broke into the tour in 1997 and won his first title in 2002.

In pro boxing, Dondon Sultan won the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) welterweight diadem by outpointing Australia’s Eddie Delic in Singapore last November. World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Brian Viloria turned back challenger Jose Antonio Aguirre but lost the title in his second defense to Omar Niño Romero last August. Viloria was robbed of a decision in a rematch against Romero, who was dropped twice, and settled for a draw last November.

Filipinos who fought for the world crown and lost this year were minimumweight Rodel Mayol, flyweights Diosdado Gabi and Glenn Donaire, bantamweight Michael Domingo and lightweight Randy Suico.

Manny Pacquiao emerged as the most celebrated Filipino boxer and is now considered the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.

In marathon, math teacher Debbie Marie Bautista and former University of the Philippines trackster Dennis Bejasa carried the country’s colors at the La Salle Bank marathon in Chicago last October. They won a writing contest and finished the Power Race at the Fort to qualify and join a throng of 40,000 in the race that marked New Balance’s centennial anniversary.

Visiting the country were National Basketball Association (NBA) heroes Tracy McGrady, Andre Igoudala and Channing Frye. Six San Antonio Spurs cheerdancers arrived with Iguodala and Frye as special guests of the NBA Madness tour.

In karting, 10-year-old Ateneo student Franco Reyes was crowned overall champion in the cadet class (8-11 age group) in the Asian series after winning the Indonesian leg last August and the Macau leg two weeks ago. He was also second runner-up in the mini-ROK class (10-12 age group) of the Asian series. Riding a 60 cc engine kart, Reyes made it to the finals of the world mini-ROK class in Italy last October.

During the year, the sporting world mourned the passing of golfing great Ben Arda, two-time Olympic swimmer Bana Sailani, and Seoul Olympic boxer Manny Legaspi who was killed in combat as a US soldier in Iraq last May, pro golfer Paterno Braza, 1964 Tokyo Olympic boxer Manfredo Alipala and ex-national cager Jun Papa.