MANILA, 27 December 2002 — President Arroyo gave the Asian Games heroes the incentives due them for their superb performance in Busan.
In keeping with the spirit of the holiday season, the President handed out the financial rewards totaling 11.5 million pesos to about 60 athletes and coaches who worked hand in hand in giving the country an Asiad harvest of three gold, seven silver and 16 bronze medals, the best in 16 years.
Led by bowling’s Paeng Nepomuceno and RJ Baustista, billiards’ Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Antonio Lining, credited for two of the country’s three gold medals, were there to receive their incentives while Mai-Mai Cojuangco represented her sister Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski.
Apart from the 1 million pesos she got for topping equestrian’s individual showjumping event, Cojuangco-Jaworski, who is reportedly in the United States along with her family, also had a piece of the .5 million pesos won by RP’s showjumping team comprising of herself, Toni Leviste, Danielle Schulze Cojuangco and Michelle Barrera.
Other medal winners were silver medalists CJ Suarez, Chester King and Botchok Rey (Men’s Trios, Bowling), Liza Clutario, Jojo Canare, Cecille Yap, Irene Garcia-Benitez and Liza del Rosario (Women’s five player team, Bowling), Warren Kiamco (9-ball singles, Billiards), Rexel Nganhayna (Men’s 56-kg Sanshou, Wushu), Marvin Sicomen (Men’s 52-kg Sanshou, Wushu) and Harry Tanamor (lightflyweight, boxing).
Also going home with the incentives were bronze medalists Efren “Bata” Reyes (8-ball singles, Billiards), Jaime Recio, Jethro Dionisio and Eric Ang (Men’s Trap team, Shooting), Carmelette Villaroman, Ria Quiazon and Heidi Chua (Women’s Team, Golf), Bobby Co (Men’s Tajiquan, Wushu), Daleen Cordero (Women’s Flyweight, Taekwondo), Arvin Ting (Men’s Changcuan, Wushu), Jethro Dionisio (Men’s Trap Individual, Shooting), Cherlui Tugday (Women’s Individual Kata, Karatedo), Liza Clutario (Women’s Singles, Bowling), Sally Solis (Women’s Middleweight, Takewondo), Veronica Domingo (Women’s Welterweight, Taekwondo), Eduard Folayang (Men’s 65-kg Sanshou, Wushu), Tshomlee Go (Men’s Flyweight, Taekwondo), Alvin Amposta and Nestor Cordova (Men’s Lightweight Doubles Sculls, Rowing), Gretchen Malalad (Women’s Kumite, Karatedo) and Dindo Simpao (men’s Middleweight, Taekwondo).
GM Antonio’s team bags chess title
Mandaluyong City rode on Grandmaster Joey Antonio’s heroics to capture the title in the Pamaskong Handog ng National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP): 2002 National Active Chess Team Championship in Muntinlupa City.
Antonio, top board player of Mandaluyong City, twice beat Philippine Air Force’s National Master Ronald Dableo in the two-game finals to steer Mandaluyong to the championship.
Mandaluyong won the champion’s trophy and the 50,000 pesos cash prize. The members of the team were also given a gold medal each.
Philippine Air Force settled for runner-up honors and won 25,000 pesos cash.
Mandaluyong City and Philippine Air Force ended up tied in the first game at 2-2, but Antonio and company returned with more focus in the second game to win 2.5-1.5. On both occasions, Antonio won, beating the more aggressive Dableo with his endgame poise. Mandaluyong and Philippine Air Force arrived at the finals with contrasting results. The Mandaluyong-based players had to scrape past deposed champion Quezon City in the semifinals, while the Air Force men had a relatively easier time against Philippine Army.
Pacquiao vs. Ayala on Tyson undercard
International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, American ace Freddie Roach said that “there is talk about Pacquiao defending his title against Paulie Ayala” on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Clifford Etienne heavyweight bout on February 27.
Roach said he was scheduled to meet with Tyson to discuss the former heavyweight champion’s request for him to be Iron Mike’s trainer for the Etienne fight.
Roach said he would see “if he’s got anything left” before making a decision.
Roach also indicated he would size up the controversial Tyson’s behavior and attitude which he indicated was important to him.
“If he’s still a pain in the butt, then forget it” remarked Roach. Pacquiao’s chances of landing a fight against Ayala on the undercard would clearly be strengthened if Roach agreed to handle Tyson against the “Black Rhino.” The Filipino champ, who took just three rounds to devastate his last two challengers Jorge Eliecer Julio and Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym is eager to fight and is prepared, he said, “to take on anybody, anywhere, anytime.”
Riyadh OFWs rule Friendship Games
Overseas Filipino workers from Riyadh repeated as overall champions in the recently-concluded PSC-OWWA OFW Friendship Games: Pamaskong Palaro 2002.
Riyadh captured 33 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze medals while Taipei and Kaoshiung, which won four and three gold medals, respectively, settled for second and third place respectively in the three-day event.
Nearly 270 overseas workers representing 12 overseas job sites and regional offices from all over the world competed in the Games, which included five sports namely chess, bowling, darts, table tennis and lawn tennis. The event is an offshoot of the Philippine Friendship Games, which were held on a regional basis in the Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific.
