AFTER being undefeated, the University of Cebu (UC) paddlers may now have a strong opponent in its sister school, UC Lapu-Lapu/Mandaue (UCLM), which will make its debut in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) this season.
Both, which train under the same coaches as confirmed by UC athletic director Jessica Jawad-Honoridez, begin their campaign as the Cesafi table tennis collegiate and secondary competition gets underway today at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu Atrium.
According to tournament manager Gerard Paul Caballes, four school teams will be vying for the titles in the collegiate division and seven in the secondary division.
“It is surprising that new teams are joining this season,” said Caballes.
Aside from UCLM, new school participants in the table tennis competition are Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and Sisters of Mary School Boystown Aloysians.
The regulars will also be back. Aside from defending champion UC, there’s also paddlers from University of San Carlos, University of San Jose-Recoletos and Cebu Institute of Technology-University.
There will be team and singles event with the team event having college men’s and women’s, and high school boy’s and girl’s divisions.
The singles event, on the other hand, will have college men’s and women’s, and high school boy’s and girl’s divisions, as well.