Cebuano archer wins gold medal in PH Cup finals

Veteran archer Florante Matan shoots for gold against Gabriel Moreno in the senior men’s recurve division.

Cebuano archer Vincent Villa stood his ground against a fancied opponent and put himself in a good position of breaking into the national team after winning the gold medal in the junior men’s recurve division of the Philippine Archery Cup Finals yesterday at the Camp Lapu-Lapu Grounds in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

The University of San Carlos sharpshooter, winner of multiple titles, including the prestigious Philippine Archery League crown in July last year, defied tremendous pressure to stun national team member Allen Raquipo in the gold medal match, 616-587.

While Villa brightened his chances of donning the national colors, Raquipo, with the loss, is in danger of getting stripped of his national team member status.

Raquipo has a chance of redeeming himself from the crucial loss when he contends in the tournament’s second leg scheduled this May.

In the gold medal match of the senior men’s recurve division, 33-year-old veteran archer Florante Matan also made his presence felt as he outperformed fellow national team member in Luis Gabriel Moreno, 623-610.

The 18-year-old Moreno is a nephew of Cebuana actresses Vina Morales and Shaina Magdayao.

In the distaff side, national team member Kareel Hongitan snatched the gold medal in the senior women’s recurve, while Loren Chloe Balaoing topped the juniors women’s recurve category.

In boys play, Cebuano Lloyd Apawan outscored Christian Caresosa, 597-588, to win the gold in the boys cadet recurve.

Other winners were Naina Tagle of Negros Island Region Archery Club, who pocketed the Girls Yeoman recurve and Jeremy Ebbinghans Reaport of Archery Dream Club, who dominated the boys yeoman recurve.