MANILA, 15 March — Four-time world champion Paeng Nepomuceno returns to action next month when he takes part in the 2002 World Tenpin Masters in London.
Nepomuceno is among 16 players from 13 countries entered in the Masters. Nepomuceno captured the title in 1999 for which he was awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor medal. He placed third in the tournament last year.
The fifth running of the event, sanctioned by the European Tenpin Bowling Federation, will take place on April 12, 13 and 14 at the Goresbrook Leisure Center, Dagenham, East London.
With a roster of three bowling events — the Masters, the Weber Cup and the AMF World Cup — Matchroom Sports has established a tried and tested formula to highlight televised bowling at its best.
That consists of a single lane surrounded by banked seating on both sides to give the event the kind of high — pressure atmosphere that makes the Masters the world’s leading televised bowling tournament. The format is straight knock — out.
Chess included in Doha Asiad
Chess has received a shot in the arm with its inclusion as one of 38 disciplines in the 15th Asian Games calendar in Doha, Qatar, in 2006.
“This is a big boon to our sport. I’m so happy that my long — time quest to spread chess to all continents, starting with Asia, is beginning to be realized,” FIDE (International Chess Federation) honorary life president Florencio Campomances noted yesterday after receiving a communication from Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al — Fahad Al — Sabah.
Around 10,000 athletes from 43 countries are expected to participate in the Doha Asiad set Dec. 1 — 15.
“I have great pleasure in informing you that chess is one of the selected disciplines,” Sheikh Ahmad wrote. “The tentative dates for the chess competitions are from 2nd to 12th December 2006.”
It was Campomanes who started a “chess revolution” in the Middle East when he backed the staging of the World Chess Olympiad in Dubai in 1986.
“After that, the Arab world became a factor in Asian chess,” Campomanes said.
Campomanes also made Sheikh Mohammed Al — Thani the president of the Arab Zone in 1986 and the Asian continent in 1990. In 1994, he backed Sheikh Khalifa Al — Hitmi, now the incumbent Asian president and member of the Doha Asian Games organizing committee.
“I’m happy that my efforts are paying off,” said Campomanes, who recalled that before the Dubai Olympiad, Israel was the only Middle East country very actively engaged in chess. In fact, the Arab world now has its first homegrown Grandmaster in Mohammed Al — Modiaki, who recently married the reigning world women’s champion from China, Xu Chen.
Campomanes is hopeful that after its Asian Games debut, chess would next be played in the Olympic Games.
Tubud bids for Palaro hosting
The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Department of Education may have already recommended Naga as host of this year’s Palarong Pambansa but officials of Tubud, Lanao del Norte, are not about to throw in the towel yet.
PSC commissioner William Ramirez, fresh from a trip in Mindanao, said Lano del Norte Gov. Imelda Dimaporo and her husband, Rep. Bobby Dimaporo, remain firm on their bid to host the Palaro after two previous postponements.
The PSC and the DepEd’s regional Physical Education and School Sports chiefs had batted for Naga City as Palaro venue, citing security concerns in Tubud among parents of the student — athletes. President Arroyo, however, has yet to name her choice for the Games’ main hub.
The Dimaporos is expected to discuss Tubud’s bid in a meeting with the PSC. They will also seek an audience with Mrs. Arroyo to lobby for their bid.
Tubud was supposed to host the Palaro in 1999 but the tournament was called off due to budgetary constraints.
Penalosa beats Avila
Gerry Penalosa defeated challenger Joel Avila to retain the World Boxing Council (WBC) International super — flyweight crown in a one — sided duel at the Makati Coliseum.
An accidental clash of heads as the bell sounded ending the eighth round prompted referee Bruce McTavish to call a halt to the scheduled 12 — rounder.
All three Filipino judges — Alex Villacampa, Vic Rodriguez and Ferdinand Estrella — scored it in favor of Penalosa. Villacampa and Rodriguez had it 79 — 72, while Estrella saw it 79 — 71.
Avila was struck several times, but he never showed signs that was going down. With the win, Penalosa is expected to return to the ring again in April, May or June before getting his last world title crack in September in Tokyo.
Bulldogs follow pals to PBL
In the absence of Welcoat Paints, another collegiate squad in National University will be joining the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) when it opens shop on March 15.
The NU Bulldogs, who are coming off a successful stint in the UAAP, will be backed up by the Cebu — based product Jaz Cola, owned by Sen. John Osmena.
The team will be composed of NU’s core in the UAAP with the likes of Jeff Napa, Froilan Baguion and Alfie Grijaldo expected to banner the squad. The Bulldogs were one of the teams which made it to the Final Four of last year’s UAAP tournament under coach Manny Dandan, who is also expected to call the shots for the their PBL team.
The NU Bulldogs will be the third team to join the league with four — time UAAP champion De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila currently backed up by ICTSI and Pioneer Insurance, respectively.
The Bulldogs are also looking to sign up national player Mark Pingris, the former Philippine School of Business Administration standout, and Allen Patrimonio, the burly forward of Welcoat Paints.
Pampanga Stars look home for team
Homegrown talents and only those with Kapampangan lineage will make up the Pampanga team returning to the Metropolitan Basketball Association this year.
All the players, coaching staff and the support crew have Kapampangan blood, according to team manager Allan Trinidad.
Thus far, 10 players have been signed up with a Fil — Am scheduled to arrive March 5 to bolster the roster of Pampanga, the MBA inaugural champion in 1998, for the MBA first conference starting in April.
Trinidad said those already signed up are playing coach Ato Agustin, Dave Bautista, Willy Mejia, Roland Pascual, Billy Bansil, Richie Melencio, Ariel Garcia, Eric Gascon, Rolof Liangco and Egay Ignacio.
Planing in from California is 6’5” Cris Guinto Jr., whose parents came from Masantol. The 24 — year — old Guinto is reportedly a 230 — pound bruiser, who used to play with pros Nic Belasco and Robert Duat. As planned, the rest of the 14 — man lineup is likely to come from young sensations in the province or veterans with Kapampangan blood.
“With this all — Kapampangan lineup, the crowd will surely be back,” Trinidad said. “We want to bring back the spirit of the 1998 season.”
Trinidad bared the team is already in deep training and the team management, with help from the provincial government, has refurbished the Bren Guiao Sports Complex Gym, which will serve as its home.
“As it is, we have a fighting team. Many of these players willingly took a cut from their salaries just to be able to play for their province,” Trinidad said. “I’m sure their Cabalens would love to see them play together.” Assisting Agustin at the bench is Romy Lopez, who, of course, is also a Kapampangan.
Table tennis, volleyball
give up Asiad bid
Local officials of table tennis and volleyball have informed the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) that they will no longer field a team in this year’s Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea, to concentrate instead on the 2003 Southeast Asian Games in Vietman.
Triathlon’s Tom Carrasco, chief of mission of the RP delegation to the quadrennial meet scheduled this September, said officials of table tennis and volleyball made the announcement during a recent meeting presided over by the Asian Games Task Force.
“Both table tennis and volleyball informed the task force that they would instead concentrate on the 2003 SEA Games preparation in Vietnam,” said Carrasco, who also announced the same move made by the Philippine Football Federation last week.
The three national sports associations made the decision since they have slim chances of landing in the medal standings.
Meanwhile, the POC has expanded its involvement in the preparation and training of athletes bound for the Asian Games set Sept. 29 to Oct. 14 in a bid to enhance the country’s medal chances.
Under a recent board resolution, Filipino athletes who have strong chances of winning may submit to the POC their own recommendations for subsidy to any acceptable international competition.
POC president Celso Dayrit said that all requests, however, are subject to the approval of the POC executive board.
The POC — funded program had given assistance to nine athletes from six Olympic events under the International Olympic Solidarity Program. These are Purita Joy Marino (archery), John Baylon (judo), Rasheya Jasmin Luis (shooting), Eduardo Buenavista, John Lozada and Cristabel Martes (athletics), Walbert Mendoza (fencing), and the pair of Roberto Cruz and Veronica Domingo (taekwondo).
