MANILA, 13 June 2003 — Men’s International Master Mark Paragua survived a scare while Women’s National Master Kathryn Ann Cruz took a slot in the coming Asian Juniors Championships by capturing the titles in the National Juniors Chessfest in Mandaluyong.
Top seed Paragua escaped third seed Oliver Barbosa with a Torre attack opening that lasted 72 moves.
Paragua collected a total of 9.5 points.
Second seed National Master John Paul Gomez, however, followed Paragua in second place with nine points after defeating ninth seed Vicneil Villanueva with a Pirc defense opening, while Roderick Nava, seeded fourth, earned the third slot with a win over tenth seed Froilan Bolico.
In the distaff side, Cruz’s London system opening against 46th seed Enerose Magno booked her a slot to compete in the Asian Juniors Championships in Sri Lanka after sharing the podium with Paragua.
Cruz is also scheduled to compete in the Southeast Asian Games in December with Christine Castellano, Beverly Mendoza and Joy Lomibao, said.
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Tanguilig Joins National Team
Rhyan Tanguilig, the rider who came close to winning the revived Tour Pilipinas had it not for what he claimed “dirty tactics” by national cyclists, has joined his nemesis in the RP squad that is gearing up for the 2003 southeast Asian Games.
National Head coach Jommel Lorenzo said the coaching staff has enlisted the 23-year-old computer technician, who placed a strong fourth in the 15-stage Tour to the RP team effective June 1.
Lorenzo said the Tour’s King of the Mountain Placido Valdez has also been named to the national mountain bike.
Tanguilig had a spat with Tour champion Arnel Quirimit and other members of the national team during the course of the Tour but according to Lorenzo, the Nueva Ecija-based rider was willing to leave that sad tale behind.
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RP Karatekas Clinch Silver
Filipino karatekas surprised a tough field as they won a silver medal in the 8th Karate Open di Adriatico recently at the Torremoli Sports Center in Campo Basso, Italy.
Philippine Karatedo Federation official Joe Manansala reported the RP Kumite team reached the finals of the world-class event but lost to the Italian national team, 1-3, to settle for the silver.
The Filipinos finished ahead of Romania, which beat vaunted Iran for third spot, Hungary, Belgium, Italian Police and clubs from host Italy in the team Kumite.
Manansala said Clifford Nene and Michael Dumayag netted a silver a piece in the individual kumite competitions as the Philippines placed third overall behind Italy’s national team and Hungary.
Iran, the top squad in the 2002 Asiad, finished fourth.
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Help for Women’s Pool
Billiards star Efren “Bata” Reyes and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee Marcos have agreed to lure Filipino women into the sports of billiards by launching a series of All-Filipino Women tourney very soon.
Marcos, a senior member of the House committee on youth and sports, believed Filipino women can also excel in billiards and bring honors to the country through international tournaments.
The 48-year-old Reyes, who just bagged the top prize last June 1 in the Manila leg of the San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour, for his part, offered his expertise in coaching participants to the Ladies Billiards Tournament to be sponsored by the office of Marcos.
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Buhain: Filipino Bets to Vietnam
SEA Games ‘Drug-Free’
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Eric Buhain gave an assurance the athletes going to the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam this December will be “drug-free.”
In light of the drug controversies rocking the basketball world, Buhain said the PSC’s drug tests on the members of the RP team has been in place since the agency’s inception in 1990 and is done annually by the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine (PCSM). The tests are conducted before every international event like the SEA Games.
The PSC chief added the tests were extended to the 442 employees of the PSC.
