Opalla-Mauro 2nd in Ming Ramos nat’l badminton

CEBU’s rising badminton player Dexter Opalla and partner Nino Mauro finished a strong second in the 19-and-under boys doubles division of the recent Ming Ramos National Badminton Championship at the SM Annex in Quezon City.
The December 27-28 tournament attracted the best shuttle smashers from around the country who earned their slot to the event by winning their respective qualifying tournaments.
Opalla, who is a member of the University of Cebu varsity team, and Mauro of Carmen, north Cebu, lost the title to a pair from Luzon in three, grueling sets.
After losing the opening set, the hard-fighting Cebuano tandem extended the championship match to a deciding third set by winning the second. The two however, ran out of luck in the decider and went down, 19-21.
Opalla is a regular podium finisher in local badminton tournaments.
Last December 6, he and partner Enrique Estorba Jr., outclassed defending champions Jed Sumalinog and Jeffrey Lepaopao in the final of the premier Supermix level of men’s doubles in the 12th Metro Sports Anniversary Badminton Tournament at the Metro Sports courts in Lahug.