Peñalosa son, Fil-Aussie spark Olympic gold medal hopes

BACOLOD – Cebu City’s Dave Peñalosa and Australia-based Robin Palileo sparkled like gems as the host city and Army hauled the biggest harvest of medals at the close of the 2009 Smart National Amateur Boxing Association Championship at the NOMPAC here Friday.

Peñalosa, the younger of two boxing sons of former world titlist Dodie Boy Sr., stopped Bacolod A’s Elijah Ray Guanzon a minute and 23 seconds into the second round to cop the bantamweight gold medal for youth boys.

It was the 16-year-old Peñalosa’s third straight RSC (referee-stopped contest) win in an amazing performance in the tourney held by the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines to discover new talents.

Peñalosa has been prevailed upon by boxing officials to stay on as an amateur fighter to take a shot at a gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

Palileo, a 16-year-old pug who traveled from Black Town in New South Wales, Australia, overwhelmed North Cotabato’s Arnel Gepollano, 16-2, to rule the featherweight class for youth boys.

“I’m happy I participated here,” said Palileo, brought here by 1972 Munich Olympics veteran and Australia-based Ricardo Fortaleza.

The host, which fielded four formidable teams, drew strength from the golden efforts of kiddie weight (30 kg) Earl Jean Cesar Hermedalla, ant weight (32kg) Robel Andalez, powder weight Joren Labordo, light bantam Genisis Siervania and light fly Gerson Nietes, Jr. in the kiddies and juniors section.

Pin weight Karina Jaen Recaido and Khristy Rivaz Jana delivered the triumphs in the girls youth division that helped propel Bacolod to the overall team title with 64 points.

Bacolod edged out Army, with 61, to clinch the top purse worth P20,000 and some boxing gloves and training equipment.

The Army leaned on wins by light fly Bill Vicera, flyweight Rey Saludar, bantam Godfrey Castro, feather Joan Tipon, lightweight Charly Suarez, light welter Genebert Basadre and middleweight Jose Antioso in the men’s elite category and pin weight Josie Gabuco, bantam Annalisa Cruz and feather Annie Albania on the distaff side.

Hermedalla won over Bago City’s Charlie Panez, 10-0, Andalez over Puerto Princesa’s Ignacio Jeth Tiera II (RSC- retirement, second round), Labordo over Nueva Vizcaya’s Whranley Ocon (RSC, first round).

Notes: Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella is looking forward to host another big event, the Philippine National Youth Games, this October. The multi-sports meet, which is open to all youth ages 18 years old and below, is a hybrid of the shelved Batang Pinoy and the Philippine Olympic Festival. “It’s going to be fun because it will coincide with our Maskara Festival here,” he said...ALA boxing’s Tony Aldeguer showed his exasperation over the loss of his ward, Mark Vincent Bermudez, one of the five pugs he sent here, in the bantamweight class, blaming it on poor judging. “It’s horrible,” said Aldeguer, who sent a team for the first time in five years in support of the new ABAP leadership chaired by PLDT and Smart chair Manny V. Pangilinan...Renowned Bacolod sportsman Dodong Bascon, whose wife Carminia is Himamaylan City mayor, is happy over Bacolod’s performance here. “This is a big boost not just for Bacolod boxing but for Philippine boxing as well,” he said.