MANILA, 22 March — Mark Paragua, the country’s hottest young chess star, will be seeking to clinch two more Grandmaster results in European tournaments to complete the elusive title before the year ends.
Paragua took his first GM result in Mondariz, Spain, last January, but he is expected to encounter strong opposition in his next few tournaments.
“It is part of my learning experience. I have to learn how to beat stronger players to get the last two GM results,” Paragua said. He missed a GM norm by half-a-point in his latest tournament in Cannes, France.
The 17-year-old Paragua vowed to go all-out in European tournaments to clinch the GM norm. He is expecting tough opponents in Europe, particularly in his next tournament — the traditionally strong Dos Hermanas event set in April.
“However, we might opt to return for the National Championship,” said his father Ric. The finals of the National Championship, to be organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), is scheduled on April 15. Paragua, who is traveling with his father, said his prize money in the Seville and Jaen tournaments has not been enough to cover for their daily expenses.
With his series of results in Spain and France, Paragua could hit the 2500-ELO barrier and become the country’s fourth strongest player. Eugene Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, took almost two years to get his GM results in Spanish tournaments, where he defeated some of the world’s top players in the early 1970s.
Buhain urges athletes: Win for flag
Philippine Sports Commission ((PSC) chairman Eric Buhain has exhorted the national athletes to give their best and win for flag in the Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea, in September.
Buhain, who is working to improve the Philippines’ one-gold medal finish in the last Asiad in Bangkok, also asked the athletes to reciprocate government’s support to their National Sports Associations (NSAs) by aiming for medals in their respective events.
In exchange, Buhain said he will hasten the release of their provisions to help smooth their preparations. He urged NSA leaders to file their requests for training and equipment early to avoid the rush in their preparations.
The PSC has given the NSAs, which are sending athletes to the Asiad, until March 15 to submit an advanced list of requirements, particularly documents on schedules of foreign exposure and their training programs.
“Since we will be handling the sourcing and procurement of equipment and uniforms, we deemed it imperative to start as early as now to avoid last-minute problems,” Buhain said. Buhain renewed the agency’s commitment to the 136 athletes who passed the criteria set by the joint PSC-Philippine Olympic Committee Asiad task force and some 50 others who are still gunning for berths in various competitions between now and July.
The PSC had earmarked 30 million pesos for the RP delegation’s actual participation in the Sept. 29-Oct. 14 meet.
2005 SEA Games hosting to be announced soon
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) officials have expressed optimism Malacanang’s official acceptance of the country’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games in 2005 would be released before the month ends. POC first vice president Steve Hontiveros made a follow-up with the Palace and was told by senior deputy Executive Secretary Waldo Flores that the paper is already on the desk of Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, who is tasked to sign it on behalf of President Arroyo. POC secretary general Romeo Ribano said they expect Malacanang’s formal commitment before government takes on weekly break. The POC has been seeking the Palace’s formal commitment for the 2005 SEAG, which is a requirement from the SEA Games Federation, as early as last year.
Without it, all the POC could do was draw up the guidelines for the interested bidders like Manila, Pampanga, Cebu, Iloilo, Naga and the Mindanao bloc led by General Santos City. Actual bidding and constructions, officials said, could only start once the government officially commits to the hosting and forms a multi-agency task force or management committee.
Athletes get more boost for Athens
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), which is hoping to achieve better results in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, has launched a new program to assist deserving athletes with funding from the International Olympic Solidarity.
According to POC president Celso Dayrit, the Olympic body will now accept and evaluate applications for “training scholarship” for athletes recommended by their respective NSAs (national sports associations).
Funding will be provided for the selected athletes to train here and abroad on an extended basis which may start as early as August this year. Athletes who will eventually qualify for the Olympics will get support until July 2004 to optimize their chances to excel and win medals in Athens. Athletes to be recommended by NSAs must have the potentials to qualify for the Olympics.
Bauzon, Marino get POC seats for athletes
Fencer Ma. Lorella Bauzon and archer Purita Joy Marino have been elected chairman and secretary, respectively, of the Philippine Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission recently.
Six of seven athletes who were elected to the commission during the polls held at the RSMC, PhilSports and Teachers’ Camp in Baguio City and three POC appointees took part in the balloting.
These are Bauzon, Marino, Eva Marie Ditan of taekwondo, Jose Rodriguez (rowing), Botchock Rey (bowling), Sheila Barlovento (football), Maximino Tabangcora (boxing), Leonora Escollante (canoeing) and Jenny de Jesus (softball).
Weightlifter Alfonso Aldenete, who was elected together with Bauzon, Marino, Ditan, Rodriguez, Rey and Barlovento and POC appointee Jerome Calica of Wushu were absent.
Escollante was one of nine nominees for the Athletes’ Commission election but she was dropped because her sport was not played in the last Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.
