31st Jawad Cup: Reunion of event’s top luminaries to highlight tourney
The participants of last year’s Erne Jawad Memorial Table Tennis Cup at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu. | CDN File
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 31st Erne Jawad Memorial Table Tennis Cup will have a mini-reunion of some of its most important figures.
The three-day national table tennis tournament will unfold on Saturday, August 26 to 28, 2023, at the Cebu Coliseum.
According to Jessica Jawad Honoridez, the main organizer of one of the country’s longest-running table tennis tilts, they have special guests for this edition of the tournament.
One of the guests will be Noel Gonzales, a former national team member and a close friend of Erne Jawad before his untimely passing in 1990.
Gonzales who now serves as the head coach of one of the tournament’s competing teams, the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws. He will give an inspirational speech on Saturday’s 31st Jawad Cup opening set at 9:00 AM.
Also, the tournament’s very first champion Marcial Dulangon who was also a player of thye Jawad Cup back in the day will be the other special guest.
“It will be a special moment for all of us who are part of the Jawad Cup because we have special people who became part of my brother’s life,” said Honoridez.
“Wala ko nagdahum ug mo abot mi ug 31 years, wala ko nag expect. I just do it one a time, year by year, mas ma feel na nako karon nga dili ra Cebu table tennis players, even those from outside Cebu, it has become a national tournament.”
Over 500 table tennis players will compete in the team and singles events.
Manila-based schools De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, College of St. Benilde, Ateneo de Manila, and FEU are competing in the tournament.
Also, Honoridez revealed that several LGU-based teams in Manila will also come to Cebu this weekend to vie, together with cities from Iloilo and Negros Island.
“Ang ako-a lang na proud lang ko kay naa diri sa Cebu, ang Cebu ra nakabuhat ana. Gisulod gyud namo siya sa calendar sa Cebu City Sports Commission. Naa jud support ang government. Before sauna, wala pa kaayo. Kani karon, that made me proud nga naa ni diri sa Cebu,” Honoridez concluded. /rcg
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