Ramos Cup lures big cast

MANILA, Philippines - More than 300 players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will slug it out for top honors in various divisions in the Ming Ramos Youth Cup Victor Age Group Badminton Championships 2009 which fires off Saturday at Club 650 in Libis, QC and at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex’s badminton hall.

Members of the national youth team who turned in an impressive 10th-place finish in the recent World Juniors Championships in Malaysia head the rosters of players in both sides, including the country’s top two girls singles players Malvinne Ann Venice Alcala and Gelita Castilo, who will see action in the under-15, -17 and -19 divisions.

Due to the big number of participants, the organizing Philippine Badminton Association (PBA) said the event will actually start at 6 p.m. on Friday at Club 650, which will also host the second day of action on Nov. 28. Hostilities will resume at the Rizal Memorial for the final two days of the event, which also serves as a tryout for the national youth training pool, according to PBA sec-gen George Piano.