Rivera, Chan top PBA Ming youth tourney

MANILA, Philippines - Monica Arianne Rivera and Sean Chan fended off their respective rivals to capture the 19-Under crowns while Geero Pelegrina and Nicolette Santiago took the U-9 titles in the PBA Ming Ramos Victor Youth Non-Ranking Championships at Jump Smash Badminton Court in San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City last Sunday.

Rivera, of Team JB/Lining Academy, held off a rallying Alizandra Candelaria of Allied-Victor, 21-18, 21-16, to bag the ladies plum while Chan of Team Prima frustrated Glenn Remo of ETC, 21-16, 21-17, to annex the men’s diadem in the premier class of the event held in honor of Philippine Badminton Association honorary chairperson Mrs. Amelita “Ming” Ramos and held as part of PBA’s Bagong Bida Grassroots Program.

Rivera later made it two-in-row by taking the girls’ U-17 singles crown with a 21-10, 21-17 victory over Mikaela Aquino with Carl Clemente of Allied Victor bagging the boys’ diadem with a walkover win over Henrick Peralta.

Mrs. Ramos also graced the awards rites along with PBA’s Bagong Bida Grassroots Program head Police Gen. Federico Laciste Jr. and Conrado Co.

Pelegrina, of The Grip Shuttle Bulacan/Babolat Academy, outplayed Emmanuel Rodriguez in the decider and carved out a 21-14, 11-21, 21-10 victory to cop the crown in the youngest category of the tournament backed by Victor, official equipment sponsor of the PBA and exclusively distributed by PCOME Industrial Sales, Inc.