Memory athletes compete in China

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the strained relations between the country and Hongkong over the tragic hostage drama at the Quirino Grandstand last Aug. 23, two Filipino athletes would travel to China to compete in the World Memory Championships set Dec. 1-6.

The country’s memory athletes, Johann Randall Abrina and Roberto Racasa, qualified for the tournament to he held in Guangzhou, China for garnering the silver medal during the last UK Open International Memory Championships.

Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. presented Abrina and Racasa yesterday before newsmen at the City Hall building. He vowed to establish the Philippine Memory Council for the holding of daily memory tournaments in the country. Abalos sponsored the memory athletes’ trip to the United Kingdom.

Abrina copped the silver medal in the “30-minute card category” after clocking 1 minute, 20 seconds. Racasa set a world record by memorizing 768 binary arrangements in 30 minutes. The previous record was at 638 binary codes.

Abalos said Abrina and Racasa would teach students in public schools in Mandaluyong to enhance their memories and eventually become memory athletes to represent the country in local and foreign tournaments. 

According to Abalos, Racasa and Abrina would push through with their trip despite the outrage over the death of eight Hong Kong nationals during the botched hostage rescue attempt last Aug. 23.