MANILA, 21 February 2003 — Janina Bianco Ortiz, a young archer who has been completing for only seven months, did the country proud by capturing the gold medal in the 70-meter women’s individual compound event in the first leg of the Asian Grand Prix in Bangkok.

The 20-year-old, 5-foot-3 Ortiz, who made her debut in local competitions only last July, carded 625 points on rounds of 319 and 266 to beat Singapore’s Tan Bee Wah (618) and Leong Yoka Sim (591).

Another compound bet, PSA awardee Raul Ramon Arambulo, took the silver medal in the men’s division while Sydney Olympic Games veteran Jennifer Chan pocketed the bronze in the women’s 70-meter recurve event.

Arambulo scored 659 (325-334) and actually finished in a tie with Singapore’s Eugene Kwong Kok Song, but lost via the tie-break. Another Singaporean, Vision Heng Fook Hup got the bronze with 654.

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POC, Chile Reach Deal for Sports Exchange

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and its counterpart from Chile signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) for a sports exchange program between the two countries. The MoA, which had the blessing of Chile Olympic Committee President Fernando Eitel Polloni, was signed by POC President Celso Dayrit and Dr. Gerardo Rocha, rector of the University of Sto. Tomas-Chile is simple rites at the Westin Philippine Plaza.

The deal paves the way for sports technology transfer between Philippines and Chile and allows them to send athletes and coaches to the other country for seminars and competitions.

Expected to benefit most from the MoA are Filipino athletes in soccer, tennis and volleyball — events in which the South American nation is considered a powerhouse.

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Bustamante Wins Anew

Francisco “Django” Bustamante overpowered little known George San Souci, allowing the 31-year-old New Yorker only five racks in 23 matches to win the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour event at Boston Billiard Club in Danbury, Connecticut.

Souci entered the final match unbeaten and armed with a twice-to-beat advantage over Bustamante, who was relegated to the loser’s bracket when he lost to Ronnie Alcano 3-9 in the earlier rounds.

But the Filipino cue ace, runner-up to Earl Strickland in last year’s World Pool Championship, handily beat Souci 9-2 in the first game and followed it up with a 9-3 win to bag his second straight Joss Tour event.

Bustamante also won the Ocean State 9-Ball Championship in Providence, Rhode Island, last week.

Bustamante, who exacted revenge over Alcano 9-5 in the quarterfinals and disposed of Jarrod Clowery 9-6 in the semis, collected $1600 for first, while San Souci pocketed $1140.

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Manila to Host Final Leg of Asian Grand Prix Trackfest

The Philippines warms up for the prestigious Asian Championships in September as it hosts the fourth and final leg of the lucrative Asian Grand Prix in Manila on June 9 with a high-caliber field expected to see action.

This was announced by Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) President Go Teng Kok who arrived from the Grand Prix Commission meeting in Bangkok, Thailand.

“The meeting was very fruitful and, I must stress, the country will benefit the most from the Asian Grand Prix. We will host the final leg where all the winners of the previous three legs are mandated to participate for them to be able to collect their prize money.” The founding countries — the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka — were all represented in the meeting which pegged the cash prizes as follows: $3,000 for the champion, $1,5000 runner-up and $1,000 third placer or practically double than what were offered in the first edition last year.

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PSC Forms Oversight Group for SEAG

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) plans to form an Oversight Committee for the 2003 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games whose members would be tasked to work hand-in-hand with their counterparts from the technical and screening commission formed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

With no PSC official included in the POC committee for the Vietnam games, PSC chairman Eric Buhain deemed it right to form the Oversight Committee, whose task is to assure “balance and accurate selection of athletes who will represent the Philippines in the biennial meet.”

“We have visitorial and supervisorial powers over the National Sports Associations as guaranteed under (Republic Act) 6847, the law that created the PSC,” Buhain said. “In lieu of this, we are also accountable for every centavo that will be spent for them for their participation in Vietnam. We will not meddle with the affairs of the POC group, but we will give our stand on some issues that need to be addressed.”

The PSC was only given two observer slots in the POC-formed technical commission, a decision POC President Celso Dayrit said was patterned after the practice of former POC president Cristy Ramos-Jalasco, who excluded PSC officials from running the Asian Games affairs leading to the 1998 Bangkok joust.

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Buenavista Finishes 6th in Bali

The Philippines’ top long-distance runner Eduardo Buenavista started his preparation for the Asian championships and the Southeast Asian Games by finishing a strong sixth place in the tough Bali international 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) run recently.

Actually, the 4-foot-11 Buenavista paced the field in the first six kilometers before being overtaken by a bunch of rampaging barefoot runners from Africa to clock 29 minutes and finish second among Asian competitors.

Buenavista said he is already happy with the outcome considering that he is coming from an injury which prevented him from winning a medal in the Sri Lanka games last year.

The Kenyans took the first three places, the fourth went to a Japanese, while a Tanzanian finished fifth in the race held to erase the stigma created by the recent Bali bombings that killed hundreds of tourists in the famous beach destination.

“I’m sure he (Buenavista) will still improve further in the Asian championships,” said athletics chief Go Teng Kok of the 44-nation meet slated in Sept. 18-22.

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Espiritu 5th in Langkawi

Veteran Victor Espiritu showed he is ready for the FedEx Tour Filipinas by finishing fifth overall in the Asian standings of the Le Tour De Langkawi, which ended in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Espiritu improved on his seventh place finish last year in the event boasting a 2.2 UCI grade, just a shade lower than the 2.1 of the Tour de France.

The 28-year-old No. 1 rider of the RP team and his teammates — Enrique Domingo, Arnel Quirimit, Merculio Ramos and Lloyd Reynante — negotiated the 74.4-km final lap in 1:49.42, the same time submitted by Argentinean stage winner Ruben Bongiorno of Ceramiche Panaria.

Going into the KL criterium, the Philippines was only 1.54 behind the fourth-running Malaysians in the Asian standings.