MANILA, Philippines - Jewel Angelo Albo of Team JB Babolat and Anthea Marie Gonzales of Team JB swept their respective age classes to rule the second Sun Cellular National Juniors badminton tournament at the JCentre Mall in Mandaue over the weekend.
Albo routed Clarence Villaflor of Jaguar Badminton Academy of Cadiz City, 21-7, 21-11, and Nestojan Carido Tapales of Whackers Badminton Academy, 21-11, 21-11, to top the boys’ under-13 singles.
Gonzales slammed Katrina Mae Consing of Cadiz City’s Jaguar Academy, 21-10, 21-10, and then smashed Lady Zazhca Tuario of Metro Kidapawan Badminton, 21-16, 21-8, to rule the distaff side.
Mark Shelley Alcala of Allied-NVBA waylaid John Mark Valenzuela of Cadiz’s Jaguar Academy, 21-10, 21-8, to emerge the boys’ singles U-17 champion of this event sponsored by Sun Cellular, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, PBA, Smash Pilipinas, Victor exclusively distributed by Pcome Industrial Sales, Inc., Bayfront Hotel Cebu and JC Centre Mandaue.
Karylle Kaye Baguio Molina of Talomo Anchors and Jennifer Helyn Saladaga of Firing Squad-Talomo Anchors trounced Mica Airah Ibong and Olivia Jean Sanvictores of Team JB, 21-14, 21-16, to top the U15 girls’ doubles.
Cody Dumancas Torres and Anne Lorraine Cario of Bacolor Taytung Thunderbolts turned back the stubborn pair of Ron Danelle Cabalquinto and Keith Aubrey Bidal of Metro Kidapawan Badminton, 21-19, 19-21, 21-16, to reign supreme in the U17 mixed doubles.
Smart Sports’ Christopher Quimpo said the tournament is part of the MVP Sports Foundation’s efforts to comb the countryside for potential talents who could represent the country in future international meets.
“This is part of the MVP Sports Foundation’s efforts in helping strengthen the country’s grassroots development program in badminton,” said Quimpo.
The tournament is also part of the Philippine National Ranking System being used to gauge players’ strength.